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POLYGENIC INFLUENCES ON THE LENGTH OF OESTROUS CYCLES IN INBRED MICE INVOLVE MHC ALLELES *
Author(s) -
Lerner S. P.,
Anderson C. P.,
Harrison D. E.,
Walford R. L.,
Finch C. E.
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
international journal of immunogenetics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.41
H-Index - 47
eISSN - 1744-313X
pISSN - 1744-3121
DOI - 10.1111/j.1744-313x.1992.tb00079.x
Subject(s) - congenic , biology , allele , haplotype , inbred strain , hybrid , genetics , dominance (genetics) , estrous cycle , strain (injury) , zoology , gene , anatomy , botany
SUMMARY Genetic influences on female reproductive cycles were analysed in histocompatibilitycongenic strains of mice. Oestrous cycles of young, virgin mice of inbred‐congenic strains, hybrid crosses (F 1 , and parental‐hybrid backcrosses (F 2 ) were monitored for 3 months. Oestrous cycles were categorized by length (inter‐oestrous interval): 4,5,6, or 7–14 days. Mice with the following H‐2 haplotypes had a greater proportion of 5‐day oestrous cycles: H‐2 b , H‐2 r , H‐2 h2 , H‐2 h4 , and H‐2 i5 . In contrast, the H‐2 k and H‐2 d haplotypes had mostly 4‐day oestrous cycles. Influences of H‐2 haplotype were seen on two genetic backgrounds, C57BL/10Sn and C3H. Non‐H‐2 alleles were also implied by different patterns of cycles between strains with the same H‐2 b haplotype: C57BL/10Sn with predominantly 5‐day cycles vs. C57BL/6J with a mix of 4‐ and 5‐day cycles. The genetic basis for strain differences was investigation in F 1 hybrids and their backcrosses. F 1 hybrids of an H‐2 b (C57BL/10Sn; 5‐day cycles) and an H‐2 k (B10.BR; 4‐day cycles) strain had mostly 5‐day cycles, indicating dominance of an H‐2 b allele(s). However, F 1 hybrids from the reciprocal B6 × B10 cross (both H‐2 b ) also display a preponderance of 5‐day cycles, indicating dominance of a non‐H‐2 autosomal allele from the C57BL/10Sn strain. Among F 2 mice, a ‘4‐day’ phenotype segregated with homozygosity for the k haplotype ( P < 0.05, χ 2 ). These findings demonstrate the influence of genetic differences at the major histocompatibility complex on oestrous cycles.