Vision drives accurate approach behavior during prey capture in laboratory mice

PubMed Central

Hoy, Jennifer L.; Yavorska, Iryna; Wehr, Michael; Niell, Cristopher M.

2016-01-01

Summary The ability to genetically identify and manipulate neural circuits in the mouse is rapidly advancing our understanding of visual processing in the mammalian brain [1,2]. However, studies investigating the circuitry that underlies complex ethologically-relevant visual behaviors in the mouse have been primarily restricted to fear responses [3–5]. Here, we show that a laboratory strain of mouse (Mus musculus, C57BL/6J) robustly pursues, captures and consumes live insect prey, and that vision is necessary for mice to perform the accurate orienting and approach behaviors leading to capture. Specifically, we differentially perturbed visual or auditory input in mice and determined that visual input is required for accurate approach, allowing maintenance of bearing to within 11 degrees of the target on average during pursuit. While mice were able to capture prey without vision, the accuracy of their approaches and capture rate dramatically declined. To better explore the contribution of vision to this behavior, we developed a simple assay that isolated visual cues and simplified analysis of the visually guided approach. Together, our results demonstrate that laboratory mice are capable of exhibiting dynamic and accurate visually-guided approach behaviors, and provide a means to estimate the visual features that drive behavior within an ethological context. PMID:27773567

MusTRD can regulate postnatal fiber-specific expression.

PubMed

Issa, Laura L; Palmer, Stephen J; Guven, Kim L; Santucci, Nicole; Hodgson, Vanessa R M; Popovic, Kata; Joya, Josephine E; Hardeman, Edna C

2006-05-01

Human MusTRD1alpha1 was isolated as a result of its ability to bind a critical element within the Troponin I slow upstream enhancer (TnIslow USE) and was predicted to be a regulator of slow fiber-specific genes. To test this hypothesis in vivo, we generated transgenic mice expressing hMusTRD1alpha1 in skeletal muscle. Adult transgenic mice show a complete loss of slow fibers and a concomitant replacement by fast IIA fibers, resulting in postural muscle weakness. However, developmental analysis demonstrates that transgene expression has no impact on embryonic patterning of slow fibers but causes a gradual postnatal slow to fast fiber conversion. This conversion was underpinned by a demonstrable repression of many slow fiber-specific genes, whereas fast fiber-specific gene expression was either unchanged or enhanced. These data are consistent with our initial predictions for hMusTRD1alpha1 and suggest that slow fiber genes contain a specific common regulatory element that can be targeted by MusTRD proteins.

Nesting behavior of house mice (Mus domesticus) selected for increased wheel-running activity.

PubMed

Carter, P A; Swallow, J G; Davis, S J; Garland, T

2000-03-01

Nest building was measured in "active" (housed with access to running wheels) and "sedentary" (without wheel access) mice (Mus domesticus) from four replicate lines selected for 10 generations for high voluntary wheel-running behavior, and from four randombred control lines. Based on previous studies of mice bidirectionally selected for thermoregulatory nest building, it was hypothesized that nest building would show a negative correlated response to selection on wheel-running. Such a response could constrain the evolution of high voluntary activity because nesting has also been shown to be positively genetically correlated with successful production of weaned pups. With wheel access, selected mice of both sexes built significantly smaller nests than did control mice. Without wheel access, selected females also built significantly smaller nests than did control females, but only when body mass was excluded from the statistical model, suggesting that body mass mediated this correlated response to selection. Total distance run and mean running speed on wheels was significantly higher in selected mice than in controls, but no differences in amount of time spent running were measured, indicating a complex cause of the response of nesting to selection for voluntary wheel running.

Test of Fruit Extract Pare (Momordica charantia L.) to Quality of Ejaculated Spermatozoa Mice (Mus musculus L.)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fifendy, M.; Indriati, G.

2018-04-01

Pare (Momordica charantia L.) can be used in the treatment of various diseases, such as influenza, cancer, anti-inflammatory, anti-HIV, antimitotic and antifertilitas. This study aimed to determine the effect of the herbal bitter (Momordica charantia L.) to ejaculated sperm quality mice (Mus musculus L.). This research was conducted using Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with 4 treatments and 6 replications, water and fed adlibitum. First treatment is given solvent extract. Second treatments extract were given 0.2 gram, third treatment were given 0.4 gram of extracts and fourth treatment were treated exstrac 0.6 gram were orally for 30 days. After the mice decapitated, dissected and take sperm from vas deferens. Then, the sperm preparation determined using the improved Neubauer. Data were analyzed by ANOVA (Analysis of Varians). The results shoured at doses of 0,2 gram, the average sperm count was 19.89. decrease significant when compared with the control in which the average number of sperm 29.13. So with this research the effective doses to decrease sperm count and can be used as a contraception medication dosage was 0,2 gram. It can be conclude that the extract of bitter (Momordica charantia L.) can decrease the quality of the ejaculated sperm of mice (Mus musculus L.)

Intraperitoneal Continuous-Rate Infusion for the Maintenance of Anesthesia in Laboratory Mice (Mus musculus)

PubMed Central

Erickson, Rebecca L; Terzi, Matthew C; Jaber, Samer M; Hankenson, F Claire; McKinstry-Wu, Andrew; Kelz, Max B; Marx, James O

2016-01-01

Intraperitoneal injectable anesthetics are often used to achieve surgical anesthesia in laboratory mice. Because bolus redosing of injectable anesthetics can cause unacceptably high mortality, we evaluated intraperitoneal continuous-rate infusion (CRI) of ketamine with or without xylazine for maintaining surgical anesthesia for an extended period of time. Anesthesia was induced in male C57BL/6J mice by using ketamine (80 mg/kg) and xylazine (8 mg/kg) without or with acepromazine at 0.1 mg/kg or 0.5 mg/kg. At 10 min after induction, CRI for 90 min was initiated and comprised 25%, 50%, or 100% of the initial ketamine dose per hour or 50% of the initial doses of both ketamine and xylazine. Anesthetic regimens were compared on the basis of animal immobility, continuous surgical depth of anesthesia as determined by the absence of a pedal withdrawal reflex, and mortality. Consistent with previous studies, the response to anesthetics was highly variable. Regimens that provided the longest continuous surgical plane of anesthesia with minimal mortality were ketamine–xylazine–acepromazine (0.1 mg/kg) with CRI of 100% of the initial ketamine dose and ketamine–xylazine–acepromazine (0.5 mg/kg) with CRI of 50% of the initial ketamine and xylazine doses. In addition, heart rate and respiratory rate did not increase consistently in response to a noxious stimulus during CRI anesthesia, even when mice exhibited a positive pedal withdrawal reflex, suggesting that these parameters are unreliable indicators of anesthetic depth during ketamine–xylazine anesthesia in mice. We conclude that intraperitoneal CRI anesthesia in mice prolongs injectable anesthesia more consistently and with lower mortality than does bolus redosing. PMID:27657709

Bank voles (Myodes glareolus) and house mice (Mus musculus musculus; M. m. domesticus) in Europe are each parasitized by their own distinct species of Aspiculuris (Nematoda, Oxyurida).

PubMed

Behnke, J M; Stewart, A; Bajer, A; Grzybek, M; Harris, P D; Lowe, A; Ribas, A; Smales, L; Vandegrift, K J

2015-10-01

The molecular phylogeny and morphology of the oxyuroid nematode genus Aspiculuris from voles and house mice has been examined. Worms collected from Myodes glareolus in Poland, Eire and the UK are identified as Aspiculuris tianjinensis, previously known only from China, while worms from Mus musculus from a range of locations in Europe and from laboratory mice, all conformed to the description of Aspiculuris tetraptera. Worms from voles and house mice are not closely related and are not derived from each other, with A. tianjinensis being most closely related to Aspiculuris dinniki from snow voles and to an isolate from Microtus longicaudus in the Nearctic. Both A. tianjinensis and A. tetraptera appear to represent recent radiations within their host groups; in voles, this radiation cannot be more than 2 million years old, while in commensal house mice it is likely to be less than 10,000 years old. The potential of Aspiculuris spp. as markers of host evolution is highlighted.

Field trials of the rodenticide gophacide against wild house mice (Mus musculus L.).

PubMed Central

Rowe, F. P.; Swinney, T.; Bradfield, A.

1975-01-01

The acute rodenticide gophacide was tested against urban infestations of the house mouse (Mus musculus L.) and treatment success was assessed from the results of census baitings conducted before and after each treatment. Seven of eight populations of mice living in premises where alternative food supplies were limited were successfully controlled when medium oatmeal bait containing gophacide at 0.1% was laid directly for 4 days. In further treatments against mice inhabiting more complex environments and having greater access to other foods, the performance of gophacide at 0.1% and at 0.25% in a wholemeal flour/pinhead oatmeal/corn oil bait was compared with that of zinc phosphide at 3.0% in the same bait-base. The poison treatments were conducted for 1 or 4 days and always after 3 days pre-baiting. Treatment success varied considerably irrespective of the type of treatment or of the poison used. In general, however, gophacide proved to be as effective as zinc phosphide for the control of mice. PMID:1054056

Nova Mus 2008 = QY Mus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Templeton, Matthew R.

2008-10-01

Nova Mus 2008 = QY Mus was discovered by William Liller, Vina del Mar, Chile, on 2008 September 28.998 UT at magnitude 8.6 (Tech Pan film + orange filter). The position is RA = 13h 16m 36.44s , Dec = -67d 36m 47.8s (from P. Nelson). This object was announced as a nova in IAU Circular 8990 (Daniel W.E. Green, editor). The nova classification was determined using low-resolution spectra by W. Liller indicating the presence of broad H-alpha lines at least 2300 angstroms wide. Several observers confirmed the nova and provided photometry. The position above was provided by Peter Nelson (Ellinbank, Vic., Aus.), and is averaged from four separate exposures (rms error approx. 0.4 arcseconds). The GCVS team have formally designated Nova Mus 2008 as QY MUS. Observations should be reported to the AAVSO International Database as QY MUS.

The development of a non-invasive behavioral model of thermal heat stress in laboratory mice (Mus musculus).

PubMed

Mufford, J T; Paetkau, M J; Flood, N J; Regev-Shoshani, G; Miller, C C; Church, J S

2016-08-01

Many behavioral and physiological studies of laboratory mice employ invasive methods such as radio telemetry to measure key aspects of behavior and physiology. Radio telemetry requires surgical implants, which may impact mouse health and behavior, and thus reduce the reliability of the data collected. We developed a method to measure key aspects of thermoregulatory behavior without compromising animal welfare. We examined the thermoregulatory response to heat stress in a custom-built arena that permitted the use of simultaneous and continuous infrared thermography (IRT) and video capture. This allowed us to measure changes in surface body temperature and determine total distance traveled using EthoVision XT animal tracking software. Locomotor activity and surface body temperature differed between heat-stressed mice and mice kept within their thermal comfort zone. The former had an increase in surface body temperature and a decline in locomotor activity, whereas the latter had a stable surface body temperature and showed greater activity levels. Surface body temperature and locomotor activity are conventionally quantified by measurements taken at regular intervals, which limit the use and accuracy of the data. We obtained data of high resolution (i.e., recorded continuously) and accuracy that allowed for the examination of key physiological measurements such as energy expenditure and peripheral vasomotor tone. This novel experimental method for studying thermoregulatory behavior in mice using non-invasive tools has advantages over radio-telemetry and represents an improvement in laboratory animal welfare. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Transmission of two Australian strains of murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) in enclosure populations of house mice (Mus domesticus).

PubMed

Farroway, L N; Gorman, S; Lawson, M A; Harvey, N L; Jones, D A; Shellam, G R; Singleton, G R

2005-08-01

To control plagues of free-living mice (Mus domesticus) in Australia, a recombinant murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) expressing fertility proteins is being developed as an immunocontraceptive agent. Real-time quantitative PCR was used to monitor the transmission of two genetically variable field strains of MCMV through mouse populations after 25% of founding mice were infected with the N1 strain, followed by the G4 strain 6 weeks later. Pathogen-free wild-derived mice were released into outdoor enclosures located in northwestern Victoria (Australia). Of those mice not originally inoculated with virus, N1 DNA was detected in more than 80% of founder mice and a third of their offspring and similarly, G4 DNA was detected in 13% of founder mice and in 3% of their offspring. Thus, prior immunity to N1 did not prevent transmission of G4. This result is promising for successful transmission of an immunocontraceptive vaccine through Australian mouse populations where MCMV infection is endemic.

Of Mice and ‘Convicts’: Origin of the Australian House Mouse, Mus musculus

PubMed Central

Gabriel, Sofia I.; Stevens, Mark I.; Mathias, Maria da Luz; Searle, Jeremy B.

2011-01-01

The house mouse, Mus musculus, is one of the most ubiquitous invasive species worldwide and in Australia is particularly common and widespread, but where it originally came from is still unknown. Here we investigated this origin through a phylogeographic analysis of mitochondrial DNA sequences (D-loop) comparing mouse populations from Australia with those from the likely regional source area in Western Europe. Our results agree with human historical associations, showing a strong link between Australia and the British Isles. This outcome is of intrinsic and applied interest and helps to validate the colonization history of mice as a proxy for human settlement history. PMID:22174847

Insights into mammalian biology from the wild house mouse Mus musculus

PubMed Central

Phifer-Rixey, Megan; Nachman, Michael W

2015-01-01

The house mouse, Mus musculus, was established in the early 1900s as one of the first genetic model organisms owing to its short generation time, comparatively large litters, ease of husbandry, and visible phenotypic variants. For these reasons and because they are mammals, house mice are well suited to serve as models for human phenotypes and disease. House mice in the wild consist of at least three distinct subspecies and harbor extensive genetic and phenotypic variation both within and between these subspecies. Wild mice have been used to study a wide range of biological processes, including immunity, cancer, male sterility, adaptive evolution, and non-Mendelian inheritance. Despite the extensive variation that exists among wild mice, classical laboratory strains are derived from a limited set of founders and thus contain only a small subset of this variation. Continued efforts to study wild house mice and to create new inbred strains from wild populations have the potential to strengthen house mice as a model system. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.05959.001 PMID:25875302

Interspecies Variation in the Susceptibility of a Wild-Derived Colony of Mice to Pinworms (Aspiculuris tetraptera).

PubMed

Curtis, Ryan C; Murray, Jill K; Campbell, Polly; Nagamori, Yoko; Molnar, Adam; Jackson, Todd A

2017-01-01

Pinworms are common parasites in wild and laboratory rodents. Despite their relative nonpathogenicity in immunocompetent models, pinworm infections add an unwanted variable and may confound some types of research. For this reason, health monitoring programs and biosecurity measures aim to minimize the spread of pinworm infections into colonies free from the organisms. Wild-derived and laboratory strains of mice have shown varied susceptibility to infection with Aspiculuris tetraptera, the most commonly found murine pinworm. In particular, susceptibility is increased in wild-derived mice, young animals, and males. Routine surveillance at our institution revealed pinworm infection (A. tetraptera only) within a colony of multiple, wild-derived species of Mus, although only specific species showed positive results during initial sampling. To assess whether species-associated differences in susceptibility were present, we analyzed fecal egg counts of A. tetraptera in every cage of the colony. Our results revealed significant differences in susceptibility between various species and subspecies of Mus. Egg counts were significantly higher in Mus spicilegus than Mus m. domesticus (WSB/EiJ) and Mus macedonicus. Mus spretus had higher egg counts than M. m. domesticus (WSB/EiJ), M. m. musculus (PWK/PhJ), and M. macedonicus. Egg counts did not differ in regard to age, sex, or number of mice per cage. As wild-derived mouse models continue to compliment research largely based on laboratory strains, it will be important to understand host-parasite interactions and their effects on research, particularly studies evaluating immune responses, behavior, growth, and other physiologic parameters.

Laboratory and wild-derived mice with multiple loci for production of xenotropic murine leukemia virus.

PubMed

Kozak, C A; Hartley, J W; Morse, H C

1984-07-01

Mendelian segregation analysis was used to define genetic loci for the induction of infectious xenotropic murine leukemia virus in several laboratory and wild-derived mice. MA/My mice contain two loci for xenotropic virus inducibility, one of which, Bxv -1, is the only induction locus carried by five other inbred strains. The second, novel MA/My locus, designated Mxv -1, is unlinked to Bxv -1 and shows a lower efficiency of virus induction. The NZB mouse carries two induction loci; both are distinct from Bxv -1 since neither is linked to the Pep-3 locus on chromosome 1. Finally, one partially inbred strain derived from the wild Japanese mouse, Mus musculus molossinus, carries multiple (at least three) unlinked loci for induction of xenotropic virus. Although it is probable that inbred strains inherited xenotropic virus inducibility from Japanese mice, our data suggest that none of the induction loci carried by this particular M. m. molossinus strain are allelic with Bxv -1.

Laboratory and wild-derived mice with multiple loci for production of xenotropic murine leukemia virus.

PubMed Central

Kozak, C A; Hartley, J W; Morse, H C

1984-01-01

Mendelian segregation analysis was used to define genetic loci for the induction of infectious xenotropic murine leukemia virus in several laboratory and wild-derived mice. MA/My mice contain two loci for xenotropic virus inducibility, one of which, Bxv -1, is the only induction locus carried by five other inbred strains. The second, novel MA/My locus, designated Mxv -1, is unlinked to Bxv -1 and shows a lower efficiency of virus induction. The NZB mouse carries two induction loci; both are distinct from Bxv -1 since neither is linked to the Pep-3 locus on chromosome 1. Finally, one partially inbred strain derived from the wild Japanese mouse, Mus musculus molossinus, carries multiple (at least three) unlinked loci for induction of xenotropic virus. Although it is probable that inbred strains inherited xenotropic virus inducibility from Japanese mice, our data suggest that none of the induction loci carried by this particular M. m. molossinus strain are allelic with Bxv -1. PMID:6328046

New York City House Mice (Mus musculus) as Potential Reservoirs for Pathogenic Bacteria and Antimicrobial Resistance Determinants

PubMed Central

Williams, Simon H.; Che, Xiaoyu; Paulick, Ashley; Guo, Cheng; Lee, Bohyun; Muller, Dorothy; Uhlemann, Anne-Catrin; Lowy, Franklin D.; Corrigan, Robert M.

2018-01-01

ABSTRACT House mice (Mus musculus) thrive in large urban centers worldwide. Nonetheless, little is known about the role that they may play in contributing to environmental contamination with potentially pathogenic bacteria. Here, we describe the fecal microbiome of house mice with emphasis on detection of pathogenic bacteria and antimicrobial resistance genes by molecular methods. Four hundred sixteen mice were collected from predominantly residential buildings in seven sites across New York City over a period of 13 months. 16S rRNA sequencing identified Bacteroidetes as dominant and revealed high levels of Proteobacteria. A targeted PCR screen of 11 bacteria, as indicated by 16S rRNA analyses, found that mice are carriers of several gastrointestinal disease-causing agents, including Shigella, Salmonella, Clostridium difficile, and diarrheagenic Escherichia coli. Furthermore, genes mediating antimicrobial resistance to fluoroquinolones (qnrB) and β-lactam drugs (blaSHV and blaACT/MIR) were widely distributed. Culture and molecular strain typing of C. difficile revealed that mice harbor ribotypes associated with human disease, and screening of kidney samples demonstrated genetic evidence of pathogenic Leptospira species. In concert, these findings support the need for further research into the role of house mice as potential reservoirs for human pathogens and antimicrobial resistance in the built environment. PMID:29666289

Repeat associated mechanisms of genome evolution and function revealed by the Mus caroli and Mus pahari genomes.

PubMed

Thybert, David; Roller, Maša; Navarro, Fábio C P; Fiddes, Ian; Streeter, Ian; Feig, Christine; Martin-Galvez, David; Kolmogorov, Mikhail; Janoušek, Václav; Akanni, Wasiu; Aken, Bronwen; Aldridge, Sarah; Chakrapani, Varshith; Chow, William; Clarke, Laura; Cummins, Carla; Doran, Anthony; Dunn, Matthew; Goodstadt, Leo; Howe, Kerstin; Howell, Matthew; Josselin, Ambre-Aurore; Karn, Robert C; Laukaitis, Christina M; Jingtao, Lilue; Martin, Fergal; Muffato, Matthieu; Nachtweide, Stefanie; Quail, Michael A; Sisu, Cristina; Stanke, Mario; Stefflova, Klara; Van Oosterhout, Cock; Veyrunes, Frederic; Ward, Ben; Yang, Fengtang; Yazdanifar, Golbahar; Zadissa, Amonida; Adams, David J; Brazma, Alvis; Gerstein, Mark; Paten, Benedict; Pham, Son; Keane, Thomas M; Odom, Duncan T; Flicek, Paul

2018-04-01

Understanding the mechanisms driving lineage-specific evolution in both primates and rodents has been hindered by the lack of sister clades with a similar phylogenetic structure having high-quality genome assemblies. Here, we have created chromosome-level assemblies of the Mus caroli and Mus pahari genomes. Together with the Mus musculus and Rattus norvegicus genomes, this set of rodent genomes is similar in divergence times to the Hominidae (human-chimpanzee-gorilla-orangutan). By comparing the evolutionary dynamics between the Muridae and Hominidae, we identified punctate events of chromosome reshuffling that shaped the ancestral karyotype of Mus musculus and Mus caroli between 3 and 6 million yr ago, but that are absent in the Hominidae. Hominidae show between four- and sevenfold lower rates of nucleotide change and feature turnover in both neutral and functional sequences, suggesting an underlying coherence to the Muridae acceleration. Our system of matched, high-quality genome assemblies revealed how specific classes of repeats can play lineage-specific roles in related species. Recent LINE activity has remodeled protein-coding loci to a greater extent across the Muridae than the Hominidae, with functional consequences at the species level such as reproductive isolation. Furthermore, we charted a Muridae-specific retrotransposon expansion at unprecedented resolution, revealing how a single nucleotide mutation transformed a specific SINE element into an active CTCF binding site carrier specifically in Mus caroli , which resulted in thousands of novel, species-specific CTCF binding sites. Our results show that the comparison of matched phylogenetic sets of genomes will be an increasingly powerful strategy for understanding mammalian biology. © 2018 Thybert et al.; Published by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press.

New York City House Mice (Mus musculus) as Potential Reservoirs for Pathogenic Bacteria and Antimicrobial Resistance Determinants.

PubMed

Williams, Simon H; Che, Xiaoyu; Paulick, Ashley; Guo, Cheng; Lee, Bohyun; Muller, Dorothy; Uhlemann, Anne-Catrin; Lowy, Franklin D; Corrigan, Robert M; Lipkin, W Ian

2018-04-17

House mice ( Mus musculus ) thrive in large urban centers worldwide. Nonetheless, little is known about the role that they may play in contributing to environmental contamination with potentially pathogenic bacteria. Here, we describe the fecal microbiome of house mice with emphasis on detection of pathogenic bacteria and antimicrobial resistance genes by molecular methods. Four hundred sixteen mice were collected from predominantly residential buildings in seven sites across New York City over a period of 13 months. 16S rRNA sequencing identified Bacteroidetes as dominant and revealed high levels of Proteobacteria A targeted PCR screen of 11 bacteria, as indicated by 16S rRNA analyses, found that mice are carriers of several gastrointestinal disease-causing agents, including Shigella , Salmonella , Clostridium difficile , and diarrheagenic Escherichia coli Furthermore, genes mediating antimicrobial resistance to fluoroquinolones ( qnrB ) and β-lactam drugs ( bla SHV and bla ACT/MIR ) were widely distributed. Culture and molecular strain typing of C. difficile revealed that mice harbor ribotypes associated with human disease, and screening of kidney samples demonstrated genetic evidence of pathogenic Leptospira species. In concert, these findings support the need for further research into the role of house mice as potential reservoirs for human pathogens and antimicrobial resistance in the built environment. IMPORTANCE Mice are commensal pests often found in close proximity to humans, especially in urban centers. We surveyed mice from seven sites across New York City and found multiple pathogenic bacteria associated with febrile and gastrointestinal disease as well as an array of antimicrobial resistance genes. Copyright © 2018 Williams et al.

Laboratory trials of three anticoagulant rodenticides for use against the Indian field mouse, Mus booduga Gray.

PubMed Central

Balasubramanyam, M.; Christopher, M. J.; Purushotham, K. R.

1984-01-01

The efficacy of three anticoagulant rodenticides for use against the Indian field mouse, Mus booduga, was evaluated in the laboratory. The poisons, namely warfarin, bromadiolone and brodifacoum, were all found to be toxic enough at the concentrations normally used against other commensal and field rodents. With brodifacoum (0.001 25%), bromadiolone (0.005%) and warfarin (0.025%), 83% of the animals died respectively after 1, 1 and 6 days' feeding. It is suggested that brodifacoum and bromadiolone might be more economical than warfarin for use in practical rodent control. PMID:6512257

Food preferences and mound-building behaviour of the mound-building mice Mus spicilegus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hölzl, Michaela; Krištofík, Ján; Darolová, Alžbeta; Hoi, Herbert

2011-10-01

Optimal foraging strategies and food choice are influenced by various factors, e.g. availability, size and caloric content of the food type and predation risk. However, food choice criteria may change when food is not eaten immediately but has to be carried to a storage site for later use. For example, handling time in terms of harvesting and transport time should be optimized, particularly when the risk of predation is high. Thus, it is not clear whether food selected by hoarding animals reflects their food preference due to intrinsic features of the food type, e.g. size, caloric or lipid content, or whether the food type selected is a compromise that also considers the handling time required for harvesting and transport. We investigate this question in relation to food hoarding behaviour in mound-building mice. In autumn, mound-building mice Mus spicilegus collect seeds and other plant material and cover it with soil. Such above-ground storage is quite unusual for rodents. Here, we investigated whether there is a relationship between the seed species preferred as building materials and those preferred for food. We conducted a seed preference test using three most collected weed species for mound building. Controlling factors like food availability or predation risk, mice prefer Setaria spp. as food, although Amaranthus spp. and Chenopodium spp. were preferentially harvested and stored. By including the availability of the three species, our experimental results were confirmed, namely, a clear preference for Setaria spp. Also, handling time and seed size revealed to influence plant choice.

Microbiological survey of mice (Mus musculus) purchased from commercial pet shops in Kanagawa and Tokyo, Japan.

PubMed

Hayashimoto, Nobuhito; Morita, Hanako; Ishida, Tomoko; Uchida, Ritsuki; Tanaka, Mai; Ozawa, Midori; Yasuda, Masahiko; Itoh, Toshio

2015-01-01

Information regarding the prevalence of infectious agents in mice in pet shops in Japan is scarce. This information is particularly useful for minimizing the risk of potential transmission of infections to laboratory mice. Therefore, we surveyed infectious agents in mice from pet shops in Kanagawa and Tokyo, Japan. The survey was conducted in 28 mice from 5 pet shops to screen for 47 items (17 viruses, 22 bacteria and fungi, 10 parasites) using culture tests, serology, PCR, and microscopy. The most common viral agent detected was murine norovirus (17 mice; 60.7%), followed by Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus (13 mice; 46.4%), and mouse hepatitis virus (12 mice; 42.8%). The most common agent amongst the bacteria and fungi was Pasteurella pneumotropica (10 mice; 35.7%), followed by Helicobacter ganmani and Pneumocystis murina (8 mice; 28.5%, for both). Tritrichomonas muris was the most common parasite (19 mice; 67.8%), followed by Spironucleus muris (13 mice; 46.4%), Aspiculuris tetraptera, and Syphacia obvelata (8 mice each; 28.5%). Remarkably, a zoonotic agent, Hymenolepis nana, was found in 7 mice (25%). Given these results, we suggest that the workers in laboratory animal facilities should recognize again the potential risks of mice outside of the laboratory animal facilities as an infectious source, and avoid keeping mice as pets or as feed for carnivorous reptiles as much as possible for risk management.

Infectious microorganisms in mice (Mus musculus) purchased from commercial pet shops in Germany.

PubMed

Dammann, P; Hilken, G; Hueber, B; Köhl, W; Bappert, M T; Mähler, M

2011-10-01

In this study, we investigated the prevalence of infectious microorganisms (viruses, bacteria, fungi and eukaryotic parasites) in mice from different pet shops in Germany; such animals may compromise the hygienic integrity of laboratory animal vivaria if private pet holders act as unintended vectors of infections carried by them. House mice sold as pets or feed specimens were purchased from different pet shops and tested for a comprehensive panel of unwanted microorganisms. We found a number of microorganisms in these pet shop mice, the most prevalent of which were Helicobacter species (92.9%), mouse parvovirus (89.3%), mouse hepatitis virus (82.7%), Pasteurella pneumotropica (71.4%) and Syphacia species (57.1%). Several microorganisms (e.g. mouse parvovirus, Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus, pneumonia virus of mice, Encephalitozoon cuniculi, Clostridium piliforme) had considerably higher prevalences than those reported in similar studies on wild mice from North America, Europe or Australia. Our study shows that direct contact with pet shop mice may constitute a risk for laboratory animal vivaria if hygienic precautions are not taken. However, even relatively simple precautions seem effective enough to hold the risk at bay.

Consistency and Reproducibility of Bioaerosol Delivery for Infectivity Studies on Mice

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-03-01

respiration, the most common being the common laboratory rat (strains of Rattus norvegicus) and mouse ( Mus musculus ). Animal respiratory systems are...validation U U U UU 92 Joseph D. Wander Reset CONSISTENCY AND REPRODUCIBILITY OF BIOAEROSOL DELIVERY FOR INFECTIVITY STUDIES ON MICE...design and construction phase of the project. The data from this thesis appear as part of the US Air Force Research Laboratory technical report AFRL

Effect of Powder Leaf Breadfruit Disposals (Arthocarpus Altilis) in Oil Mandar District and Polman Against Cholesterol and Glucose Mice (Mus Musculus)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mu'nisa, A.; Asmawati, A.; Farida, A.; FA, Fressy; Erni

2018-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of powdered leaves of breadfruit (Arthocarpus altilis) on oil is mandated origin of the Polman glucose and cholesterol levels in mice (Mus musculus). This study comprised 4 treatments and each treatment consisted of 5 replicates, ie groups of mice were fed a standard (negative control); 2 groups: group of mice fed with standard and cholesterol feed (positive control); Group 3 that mice fed with standard and Selayar oil; and group 4: group of mice fed with standard and Mandar oil that has been given powdered leaves of breadfruit. Measurement of glucose and blood cholesterol levels in mice done 3 times ie 2 weeks after the adaptation period (phase 1), 2 weeks after administration of the oil (phase 2) and 2 weeks after feeding cholesterol (stage 3). Based on the analysis of data both cholesterol and glucose levels showed that in a group of 4 decreased glucose and cholesterol levels in stage 2 but at stage 3 an increase in the group of mice given only the oil while in the group of mice given the oil and powdered leaves of breadfruit indicate glucose levels and normal cholesterol. The conclusion of this study show that the addition of powdered leaves of breadfruit into cooking oil Mandar influential in glucose levels and normalize blood cholesterol levels in mice.

Sequence Diversity, Intersubgroup Relationships, and Origins of the Mouse Leukemia Gammaretroviruses of Laboratory and Wild Mice.

PubMed

Bamunusinghe, Devinka; Naghashfar, Zohreh; Buckler-White, Alicia; Plishka, Ronald; Baliji, Surendranath; Liu, Qingping; Kassner, Joshua; Oler, Andrew J; Hartley, Janet; Kozak, Christine A

2016-04-01

Mouse leukemia viruses (MLVs) are found in the common inbred strains of laboratory mice and in the house mouse subspecies ofMus musculus Receptor usage and envelope (env) sequence variation define three MLV host range subgroups in laboratory mice: ecotropic, polytropic, and xenotropic MLVs (E-, P-, and X-MLVs, respectively). These exogenous MLVs derive from endogenous retroviruses (ERVs) that were acquired by the wild mouse progenitors of laboratory mice about 1 million years ago. We analyzed the genomes of seven MLVs isolated from Eurasian and American wild mice and three previously sequenced MLVs to describe their relationships and identify their possible ERV progenitors. The phylogenetic tree based on the receptor-determining regions ofenvproduced expected host range clusters, but these clusters are not maintained in trees generated from other virus regions. Colinear alignments of the viral genomes identified segmental homologies to ERVs of different host range subgroups. Six MLVs show close relationships to a small xenotropic ERV subgroup largely confined to the inbred mouse Y chromosome.envvariations define three E-MLV subtypes, one of which carries duplications of various sizes, sequences, and locations in the proline-rich region ofenv Outside theenvregion, all E-MLVs are related to different nonecotropic MLVs. These results document the diversity in gammaretroviruses isolated from globally distributedMussubspecies, provide insight into their origins and relationships, and indicate that recombination has had an important role in the evolution of these mutagenic and pathogenic agents. Laboratory mice carry mouse leukemia viruses (MLVs) of three host range groups which were acquired from their wild mouse progenitors. We sequenced the complete genomes of seven infectious MLVs isolated from geographically separated Eurasian and American wild mice and compared them with endogenous germ line retroviruses (ERVs) acquired early in house mouse evolution. We did this

Characterization of Mus musculus Papillomavirus 1 Infection In Situ Reveals an Unusual Pattern of Late Gene Expression and Capsid Protein Localization

PubMed Central

Handisurya, Alessandra; Day, Patricia M.; Thompson, Cynthia D.; Buck, Christopher B.; Pang, Yuk-Ying S.; Lowy, Douglas R.

2013-01-01

Full-length genomic DNA of the recently identified laboratory mouse papillomavirus 1 (MusPV1) was synthesized in vitro and was used to establish and characterize a mouse model of papillomavirus pathobiology. MusPV1 DNA, whether naked or encapsidated by MusPV1 or human papillomavirus 16 (HPV 16) capsids, efficiently induced the outgrowth of papillomas as early as 3 weeks after application to abraded skin on the muzzles and tails of athymic NCr nude mice. High concentrations of virions were extracted from homogenized papillomatous tissues and were serially passaged for >10 generations. Neutralization by L1 antisera confirmed that infectious transmission was capsid mediated. Unexpectedly, the skin of the murine back was much less susceptible to virion-induced papillomas than the muzzle or tail. Although reporter pseudovirions readily transduced the skin of the back, infection with native MusPV1 resulted in less viral genome amplification and gene expression on the back, including reduced expression of the L1 protein and very low expression of the L2 protein, results that imply skin region-specific control of postentry aspects of the viral life cycle. Unexpectedly, L1 protein on the back was predominantly cytoplasmic, while on the tail the abundant L1 was cytoplasmic in the lower epithelial layers and nuclear in the upper layers. Nuclear localization of L1 occurred only in cells that coexpressed the minor capsid protein, L2. The pattern of L1 protein staining in the infected epithelium suggests that L1 expression occurs earlier in the MusPV1 life cycle than in the life cycle of high-risk HPV and that virion assembly is regulated by a previously undescribed mechanism. PMID:24067981

Intraperitoneal Injection of Ethanol for the Euthanasia of Laboratory Mice (Mus musculus) and Rats (Rattus norvegicus)

PubMed Central

Allen-Worthington, Krystal H; Brice, Angela K; Marx, James O; Hankenson, F Claire

2015-01-01

Compassion, professional ethics, and public sensitivity require that animals are euthanized humanely and appropriately under both planned and emergent situations. According to the 2013 AVMA Guidelines for the Euthanasia of Animals, intraperitoneal injection of ethanol is “acceptable with conditions” for use in mice. Because only limited information regarding this technique is available, we sought to evaluate ethanol by using ECG and high-definition video recording. Mice (n = 85) and rats (n = 16) were treated with intraperitoneal ethanol (70% or 100%), a positive-control agent (pentobarbital–phenytoin combination [Pe/Ph]), or a negative-control agent (saline solution). After injection, animals were assessed for behavioral and physiologic responses. Pain-assessment techniques in mice demonstrated that intraperitoneal injection of ethanol was not more painful than was intraperitoneal Pe/Ph. Median time to loss of consciousness for all mice that received ethanol or Pe/Ph was 45 s. Median time to respiratory arrest was 2.75, 2.25, and 2.63 min, and time (mean ± SE) to cardiac arrest was 6.04 ± 1.3, 2.96 ± 0.6, and 4.03 ± 0.5 min for 70% ethanol, 100% ethanol, and Pe/Ph, respectively. No mouse that received ethanol or Pe/Ph regained consciousness. Although successful in mice, intraperitoneal ethanol at the doses tested (9.2 to 20.1 g/kg) was unsuitable for euthanasia of rats (age, 7 to 8 wk) because of the volume needed and prolonged time to respiratory effects. For mice, intraperitoneal injection of 70% or 100% ethanol induced rapid and irreversible loss of consciousness, followed by death, and should be considered as “acceptable with conditions.” PMID:26632787

Intraperitoneal Injection of Ethanol for the Euthanasia of Laboratory Mice (Mus musculus) and Rats (Rattus norvegicus).

PubMed

Allen-Worthington, Krystal H; Brice, Angela K; Marx, James O; Hankenson, F Claire

2015-11-01

Compassion, professional ethics, and public sensitivity require that animals are euthanized humanely and appropriately under both planned and emergent situations. According to the 2013 AVMA Guidelines for the Euthanasia of Animals, intraperitoneal injection of ethanol is "acceptable with conditions" for use in mice. Because only limited information regarding this technique is available, we sought to evaluate ethanol by using ECG and high-definition video recording. Mice (n = 85) and rats (n = 16) were treated with intraperitoneal ethanol (70% or 100%), a positive-control agent (pentobarbital-phenytoin combination [Pe/Ph]), or a negative-control agent (saline solution). After injection, animals were assessed for behavioral and physiologic responses. Pain-assessment techniques in mice demonstrated that intraperitoneal injection of ethanol was not more painful than was intraperitoneal Pe/Ph. Median time to loss of consciousness for all mice that received ethanol or Pe/Ph was 45 s. Median time to respiratory arrest was 2.75, 2.25, and 2.63 min, and time (mean ± SE) to cardiac arrest was 6.04 ± 1.3, 2.96 ± 0.6, and 4.03 ± 0.5 min for 70% ethanol, 100% ethanol, and Pe/Ph, respectively. No mouse that received ethanol or Pe/Ph regained consciousness. Although successful in mice, intraperitoneal ethanol at the doses tested (9.2 to 20.1 g/kg) was unsuitable for euthanasia of rats (age, 7 to 8 wk) because of the volume needed and prolonged time to respiratory effects. For mice, intraperitoneal injection of 70% or 100% ethanol induced rapid and irreversible loss of consciousness, followed by death, and should be considered as "acceptable with conditions."

Pheromonal regulation of male mouse ultrasonic courtship (Mus musculus).

PubMed

Nyby, J; Wysocki, C J; Whitney, G; Dizinno, G

1977-05-01

Biochemicals from several sites on the body of female house mice (Mus musculus) were found to elicit 70-kHz ultrasonic calls from male mice. Experiment 1 demonstrated that an anaesthetized female wrapped in an odour-impermeable plastic bag elicited ultrasounds from males when either the front or rear of their body was left exposed. In experiment 2 cotton swabs rubbed on the face and cheeks of females but not from males elicited ultrasonic calls from males. The results of experiment 3 suggested that female vaginal odours also elicit calls. Experiments 4 and 5 demonstrated that males will also emit ultrasounds in response to female but not male urine. The source and chemical nature of this 'ultrasound-releasing pheromone' remain to be discovered.

No evidence for punishment in communally nursing female house mice (Mus musculus domesticus).

PubMed

Ferrari, Manuela; König, Barbara

2017-01-01

Punishment is claimed as an important mechanism to stabilise costly cooperation in humans, but its importance in social animals has been questioned recently due to both conceptual considerations and a lack of empirical evidence (only few published studies). We empirically tested whether there is evidence for punishment in communally nursing house mice (Mus musculus domesticus, direct descendants of "wild" animals). Communally breeding females pool their litters and raise all offspring together, indiscriminately caring for own and other offspring. Such a situation resembles a public good and provides scope for exploitation if females vary in their relative contributions to the joint nest (offspring number). We allowed two females to communally breed and conducted removal experiments both in the presence and absence of pups. We aimed to test whether reduced investment by one of the females (induced through separation from the partner and their combined offspring for 4 or 12 hours) leads to increased aggression by the other female after the reunion. We found no evidence for punishment, on the contrary, females increased socio-positive behaviours. The costs of losing a partner in a communally breeding species might be too high and hinder the evolution of punishment. Our findings add to a growing list of examples questioning the role of punishment in cooperating non-human animals and emphasise the importance of empirical testing of its assumptions and predictions.

Preferences for paper bedding material of the laboratory mice.

PubMed

Ago, Akio; Gonda, Tatuo; Takechi, Mayumi; Takeuchi, Takashi; Kawakami, Kohei

2002-04-01

In order to identify indicators of the preferences for bedding materials, the paper bedding material preferences of laboratory mice were investigated in the present study. Four cages, each containing a different structure of paper bedding material were connected to allow free access to each cage. The preferences for paper bedding materials of laboratory mice were judged by the differences in the length of stay and sleep in each cage. The mice preferred the bedding material that allowed them to easily hide and build nests and was soft. We conclude that the comfort and well-being of laboratory mice can be increased through the appropriate selection of bedding material.

Strain-Specific Properties and T Cells Regulate the Susceptibility to Papilloma Induction by Mus musculus Papillomavirus 1

PubMed Central

Handisurya, Alessandra; Day, Patricia M.; Thompson, Cynthia D.; Bonelli, Michael; Lowy, Douglas R.; Schiller, John T.

2014-01-01

The immunocytes that regulate papillomavirus infection and lesion development in humans and animals remain largely undefined. We found that immunocompetent mice with varying H-2 haplotypes displayed asymptomatic skin infection that produced L1 when challenged with 6×1010 MusPV1 virions, the recently identified domestic mouse papillomavirus (also designated “MmuPV1”), but were uniformly resistant to MusPV1-induced papillomatosis. Broad immunosuppression with cyclosporin A resulted in variable induction of papillomas after experimental infection with a similar dose, from robust in Cr:ORL SENCAR to none in C57BL/6 mice, with lesional outgrowth correlating with early viral gene expression and partly with reported strain-specific susceptibility to chemical carcinogens, but not with H-2 haplotype. Challenge with 1×1012 virions in the absence of immunosuppression induced small transient papillomas in Cr:ORL SENCAR but not in C57BL/6 mice. Antibody-induced depletion of CD3+ T cells permitted efficient virus replication and papilloma formation in both strains, providing experimental proof for the crucial role of T cells in controlling papillomavirus infection and associated disease. In Cr:ORL SENCAR mice, immunodepletion of either CD4+ or CD8+ T cells was sufficient for efficient infection and papillomatosis, although deletion of one subset did not inhibit the recruitment of the other subset to the infected epithelium. Thus, the functional cooperation of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells is required to protect this strain. In contrast, C57BL/6 mice required depletion of both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells for infection and papillomatosis, and separate CD4 knock-out and CD8 knock-out C57BL/6 were also resistant. Thus, in C57BL/6 mice, either CD4+ or CD8+ T cell-independent mechanisms exist that can protect this particular strain from MusPV1-associated disease. These findings may help to explain the diversity of pathological outcomes in immunocompetent humans after infection with a specific

Mice examined in Animal Laboratory of Lunar Receiving Laboratory

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1969-01-01

Landrum Young (seated), Brown and Root-Northrup, and Russell Stullken, Manned Spacecraft Center, examine mice in the Animal laboratory of the Lunar Receiving Laboratory which have been inoculated with lunar sample material. wish for peace for all mankind. astronauts will be released from quarantine on August 11, 1969. Donald K. Slayton (right), MSC Director of Flight Crew Operations; and Lloyd Reeder, training coordinator.

Mitochondrial DNA evolution in mice.

PubMed

Ferris, S D; Sage, R D; Prager, E M; Ritte, U; Wilson, A C

1983-11-01

This study extends knowledge of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) diversity in mice to include 208 animals belonging to eight species in the subgenus Mus. Highly purified mtDNA from each has been subjected to high-resolution restriction mapping with respect to the known sequence of one mouse mtDNA. Variation attributed to base substitutions was encountered at about 200 of the 300 cleavage sites examined, and a length mutation was located in or near the displacement loop. The variability of different functional regions in this genome was as follows, from least to most: ribosomal RNA, transfer RNA, known proteins, displacement loop and unidentified reading frames. --Phylogenetic analysis confirmed the utility of the Sage and Marshall revision of mouse classification, according to which there are at least four species of commensal mice and three species of aboriginal mice in the complex that was formerly considered to be one species. The most thoroughly studied of these species is Mus domesticus, the house mouse of Western Europe and the Mediterranean region, which is the mitochondrial source of all 50 of the laboratory strains examined and of the representatives of wild house mice introduced by Europeans to North and South America during the past few hundred years. --The level of mtDNA variation among wild representatives of M. domesticus is similar to that for the Eastern European house mouse (M. musculus) and several other mammalian species. By contrast, among the many laboratory strains that are known or suspected to stem from the pet mouse trade, there is little interstrain variation, most strains having the "old inbred" type of domesticus mtDNA, whose frequency in the 145 wild mice examined is low, about 0.04. Also notable is the apparent homogeneity of mtDNA in domesticus races that have fixed six or more fused chromosomes and the close relationship of some of these mtDNAs to those of karyotypically normal mice. --In addition, this paper discusses fossil and other

Mitochondrial DNA Evolution in Mice

PubMed Central

Ferris, Stephen D.; Sage, Richard D.; Prager, Ellen M.; Ritte, Uzi; Wilson, Allan C.

1983-01-01

This study extends knowledge of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) diversity in mice to include 208 animals belonging to eight species in the subgenus Mus. Highly purified mtDNA from each has been subjected to high-resolution restriction mapping with respect to the known sequence of one mouse mtDNA. Variation attributed to base substitutions was encountered at about 200 of the 300 cleavage sites examined, and a length mutation was located in or near the displacement loop. The variability of different functional regions in this genome was as follows, from least to most: ribosomal RNA, transfer RNA, known proteins, displacement loop and unidentified reading frames.—Phylogenetic analysis confirmed the utility of the Sage and Marshall revision of mouse classification, according to which there are at least four species of commensal mice and three species of aboriginal mice in the complex that was formerly considered to be one species. The most thoroughly studied of these species is Mus domesticus, the house mouse of Western Europe and the Mediterranean region, which is the mitochondrial source of all 50 of the laboratory strains examined and of the representatives of wild house mice introduced by Europeans to North and South America during the past few hundred years.—The level of mtDNA variation among wild representatives of (M. musculus) and several other mammalian species. By contrast, among the many laboratory strains that are known or suspected to stem from the pet mouse trade, there is little interstrain variation, most strains having the "old inbred" type of domesticus mtDNA, whose frequency in the 145 wild mice examined is low, about 0.04. Also notable is the apparent homogeneity of mtDNA in domesticus races that have fixed six or more fused chromosomes and the close relationship of some of these mtDNAs to those of karyotypically normal mice.—In addition, this paper discusses fossil and other evidence for the view that in mice, as in many other mammals, the average

Demographic History of a Recent Invasion of House Mice on the Isolated Island of Gough

PubMed Central

Gray, Melissa M.; Wegmann, Daniel; Haasl, Ryan J.; White, Michael A.; Gabriel, Sofia I.; Searle, Jeremy B.; Cuthbert, Richard J.; Ryan, Peter G.; Payseur, Bret A.

2014-01-01

Island populations provide natural laboratories for studying key contributors to evolutionary change, including natural selection, population size, and the colonization of new environments. The demographic histories of island populations can be reconstructed from patterns of genetic diversity. House mice (Mus musculus) inhabit islands throughout the globe, making them an attractive system for studying island colonization from a genetic perspective. Gough Island, in the central South Atlantic Ocean, is one of the remotest islands in the world. House mice were introduced to Gough Island by sealers during the 19th century, and display unusual phenotypes, including exceptionally large body size and carnivorous feeding behavior. We describe genetic variation in Gough Island mice using mitochondrial sequences, nuclear sequences, and microsatellites. Phylogenetic analysis of mitochondrial sequences suggested that Gough Island mice belong to Mus musculus domesticus, with the maternal lineage possibly originating in England or France. Cluster analyses of microsatellites revealed genetic membership for Gough Island mice in multiple coastal populations in Western Europe, suggesting admixed ancestry. Gough Island mice showed substantial reductions in mitochondrial and nuclear sequence variation and weak reductions in microsatellite diversity compared with Western European populations, consistent with a population bottleneck. Approximate Bayesian Computation (ABC) estimated that mice recently colonized Gough Island (~100 years ago) and experienced a 98% reduction in population size followed by a rapid expansion. Our results indicate that the unusual phenotypes of Gough Island mice evolved rapidly, positioning these mice as useful models for understanding rapid phenotypic evolution. PMID:24617968

Normalizing the environment recapitulates adult human immune traits in laboratory mice.

PubMed

Beura, Lalit K; Hamilton, Sara E; Bi, Kevin; Schenkel, Jason M; Odumade, Oludare A; Casey, Kerry A; Thompson, Emily A; Fraser, Kathryn A; Rosato, Pamela C; Filali-Mouhim, Ali; Sekaly, Rafick P; Jenkins, Marc K; Vezys, Vaiva; Haining, W Nicholas; Jameson, Stephen C; Masopust, David

2016-04-28

Our current understanding of immunology was largely defined in laboratory mice, partly because they are inbred and genetically homogeneous, can be genetically manipulated, allow kinetic tissue analyses to be carried out from the onset of disease, and permit the use of tractable disease models. Comparably reductionist experiments are neither technically nor ethically possible in humans. However, there is growing concern that laboratory mice do not reflect relevant aspects of the human immune system, which may account for failures to translate disease treatments from bench to bedside. Laboratory mice live in abnormally hygienic specific pathogen free (SPF) barrier facilities. Here we show that standard laboratory mouse husbandry has profound effects on the immune system and that environmental changes produce mice with immune systems closer to those of adult humans. Laboratory mice--like newborn, but not adult, humans--lack effector-differentiated and mucosally distributed memory T cells. These cell populations were present in free-living barn populations of feral mice and pet store mice with diverse microbial experience, and were induced in laboratory mice after co-housing with pet store mice, suggesting that the environment is involved in the induction of these cells. Altering the living conditions of mice profoundly affected the cellular composition of the innate and adaptive immune systems, resulted in global changes in blood cell gene expression to patterns that more closely reflected the immune signatures of adult humans rather than neonates, altered resistance to infection, and influenced T-cell differentiation in response to a de novo viral infection. These data highlight the effects of environment on the basal immune state and response to infection and suggest that restoring physiological microbial exposure in laboratory mice could provide a relevant tool for modelling immunological events in free-living organisms, including humans.

The regeneration of thermal wound on mice skin (Mus Musculus) after Q-Switch Nd: YAG laser irradiation for cancer therapy candidate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Apsari, R.; Nahdliyatun, E.; Winarni, D.

2017-09-01

The aims of this study are to investigate the regeneration of mice skin tissue (Mus Musculus) irradiated by Q-Switch Nd: YAG laser and morphological change due to Q-Switch Nd: YAG laser irradiation compared to conventional heating (hairdryer). The 2-3 month of twenty-seven mice were used for experimental animals. Mice were incised in the dorsum by the damage effect of laser energy dose (therapeutic dose) of 29.5 J/cm2 with 10 seconds of exposure time, 10 Hz of repetition rate, and 100 pulses of the given single pulse energy. The mice skin tissue was injuried by hairdryer to get burned effect. Mice were divided into three groups, Group I (control) were not treated by anything, Group II were treated by Q-Switch Nd: YAG laser irradiation and sacrificed on (0, 1, 3, 5) days, and Group III were treated by hairdryer then sacrificed on (0, 1, 3, 5) days. Pathology examination showed that the energy of 29,5 J/cm2 dose produced the hole effect (ablation) through the hypodermic layer caused by optical breakdown and collagen coagulation. Thus, the 60 °C temperature of burn showed coagulation necrosis because piknosis discovered in the injured area. The regeneration process showed that the mice skin tissue's ability to regenerate was irradiated by fast laser because of the focus of Q-Switch Nd: YAG laser. It was showed by the scab releases on third day and completely reepithelialization formation on the fifth day. The collagen fibers distribution was same as normal skin tissue on day 5 and so did angiogenesis. Therefore, Q-Switch Nd: YAG laser can be applied for problems of dermatology medical therapies, especially melasma, nevus of ota and tatto therapy. For skin cancer therapy application, energy dose of unregenerated skin tissue is chosen because the death expected effect is permanent.

A new spontaneous allele at the pink-eyed dilution (p) locus discovered in Mus musculus castaneus.

PubMed

Tsuji, A; Wakayama, T; Ishikawa, A

1995-10-01

Mutant mice characterized by a cream coat and pink eyes were spontaneously discovered among the descendants of Indonesian wild mice (Mus musculus castaneus). This mutant phenotype was controlled by a single autosomal recessive gene that was allelic to the pink-eyed dilution (p) gene. The mutant mouse phenotypically resembled the original p mouse which was the first mutant identified at this locus. Nevertheless, these two alleles differed in origin, a previous report suggesting that the original p allele was derived from Japanese wild mice (M. m. molossinus). Thus the symbol pcas (pink-eyed castaneus) was proposed for the present mutation allele.

Expression of alpha-synuclein during eye development of mice (Mus musculus), chick (Gallus gallus domisticus) and fish (Ctenopharyngodon idella) in a comparison study.

PubMed

Seleem, Amin A

2015-08-01

Synucleins are small proteins associated with neurodegenerative diseases, alpha-synuclein is a Parkinson's disease-linked protein of ubiquitous expression in the central nervous system. This study aimed at the localization of alpha-synuclein during eye development of mice (Mus musculus), chick (Gallus gallus domisticus) and fish (Ctenopharyngodon idella) by immunohistochemical staining in a comparison study. The results showed that alpha-synuclein expression increased gradually with the development of ciliary body, iris, retina and cornea of mice at E17, P1, P3, P7 and chick at E5, E10, E15 with unequal appearance of alpha-synuclein expression. Also, it was not detected in iridocorneal angle during eye development of mice and chick. Alpha-synuclein expression during fish eye development at P10, P15, P20 was not detected either in the ciliray body or Iris regions and it was pronounced with sharp signals in the highly specialized tissue of the iridocorneal angle at P20. Also, the expression was gradually increased from P15 to P20 in fish retina and cornea. The pattern of expression and distribution of alpha-synuclein during the development of ciliary body and iris of mice, chick and fish has not been previously characterized, The data concluded that alpha-synuclein has important cellular function during eye development of studied animals. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Repeat associated mechanisms of genome evolution and function revealed by the Mus caroli and Mus pahari genomes

PubMed Central

Thybert, David; Roller, Maša; Navarro, Fábio C.P.; Fiddes, Ian; Streeter, Ian; Feig, Christine; Martin-Galvez, David; Kolmogorov, Mikhail; Janoušek, Václav; Akanni, Wasiu; Aken, Bronwen; Aldridge, Sarah; Chakrapani, Varshith; Chow, William; Clarke, Laura; Cummins, Carla; Doran, Anthony; Dunn, Matthew; Goodstadt, Leo; Howe, Kerstin; Howell, Matthew; Josselin, Ambre-Aurore; Karn, Robert C.; Laukaitis, Christina M.; Jingtao, Lilue; Martin, Fergal; Muffato, Matthieu; Nachtweide, Stefanie; Quail, Michael A.; Sisu, Cristina; Stanke, Mario; Stefflova, Klara; Van Oosterhout, Cock; Veyrunes, Frederic; Ward, Ben; Yang, Fengtang; Yazdanifar, Golbahar; Zadissa, Amonida; Adams, David J.; Brazma, Alvis; Gerstein, Mark; Paten, Benedict; Pham, Son; Keane, Thomas M.; Odom, Duncan T.; Flicek, Paul

2018-01-01

Understanding the mechanisms driving lineage-specific evolution in both primates and rodents has been hindered by the lack of sister clades with a similar phylogenetic structure having high-quality genome assemblies. Here, we have created chromosome-level assemblies of the Mus caroli and Mus pahari genomes. Together with the Mus musculus and Rattus norvegicus genomes, this set of rodent genomes is similar in divergence times to the Hominidae (human-chimpanzee-gorilla-orangutan). By comparing the evolutionary dynamics between the Muridae and Hominidae, we identified punctate events of chromosome reshuffling that shaped the ancestral karyotype of Mus musculus and Mus caroli between 3 and 6 million yr ago, but that are absent in the Hominidae. Hominidae show between four- and sevenfold lower rates of nucleotide change and feature turnover in both neutral and functional sequences, suggesting an underlying coherence to the Muridae acceleration. Our system of matched, high-quality genome assemblies revealed how specific classes of repeats can play lineage-specific roles in related species. Recent LINE activity has remodeled protein-coding loci to a greater extent across the Muridae than the Hominidae, with functional consequences at the species level such as reproductive isolation. Furthermore, we charted a Muridae-specific retrotransposon expansion at unprecedented resolution, revealing how a single nucleotide mutation transformed a specific SINE element into an active CTCF binding site carrier specifically in Mus caroli, which resulted in thousands of novel, species-specific CTCF binding sites. Our results show that the comparison of matched phylogenetic sets of genomes will be an increasingly powerful strategy for understanding mammalian biology. PMID:29563166

A Morphological and Morphometric Study of Bite Marks Caused by Mice (Mus Musculus) on Different Baits for Forensic Purposes.

PubMed

Toledo, Víctor A; Fonseca, Gabriel M; González, Paula A; Ibarra, Luis; Torres, Francisco J; Sáez, Pedro L

2017-03-01

In animal bites, the dental attributes can be fundamental in identifying the marks made by various species on different matrices. Although rodent bite marks have been studied in the context of postmortem interference, little research has used different baits to analyze these marks linking not only specific behavior patterns but also the possibility of structural damage. Twenty mice (Mus musculus) were exposed to different baits to study their bite marks in a controlled model. The known pattern of parallel and multiple grooves has been seen in all baits, but polyvinyl chloride and fiber-optic cable were significantly different between each other and the other baits. Some baits showed patterns of anchorage of the upper incisors and space between the lower incisors when gnawing. This technical note represents a novel model of analysis where veterinarians and/or dentists may be asked to give an opinion on alleged animal bite marks. © 2016 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Introducing Clicker Training as a Cognitive Enrichment for Laboratory Mice.

PubMed

Leidinger, Charlotte; Herrmann, Felix; Thöne-Reineke, Christa; Baumgart, Nadine; Baumgart, Jan

2017-03-06

Establishing new refinement strategies in laboratory animal science is a central goal in fulfilling the requirements of Directive 2010/63/EU. Previous research determined a profound impact of gentle handling protocols on the well-being of laboratory mice. By introducing clicker training to the keeping of mice, not only do we promote the amicable treatment of mice, but we also enable them to experience cognitive enrichment. Clicker training is a form of positive reinforcement training using a conditioned secondary reinforcer, the "click" sound of a clicker, which serves as a time bridge between the strengthened behavior and an upcoming reward. The effective implementation of the clicker training protocol with a cohort of 12 BALB/c inbred mice of each sex proved to be uncomplicated. The mice learned rather quickly when challenged with tasks of the clicker training protocol, and almost all trained mice overcame the challenges they were given (100% of female mice and 83% of male mice). This study has identified that clicker training for mice strongly correlates with reduced fear in the mice during human-mice interactions, as shown by reduced anxiety-related behaviors (e.g., defecation, vocalization, and urination) and fewer depression-like behaviors (e.g., floating). By developing a reliable protocol that can be easily integrated into the daily routine of the keeping of laboratory mice, the lifetime experience of welfare in the mice can be improved substantially.

Identification of Novel Rodent Herpesviruses, Including the First Gammaherpesvirus of Mus musculus▿

PubMed Central

Ehlers, Bernhard; Küchler, Judit; Yasmum, Nezlisah; Dural, Güzin; Voigt, Sebastian; Schmidt-Chanasit, Jonas; Jäkel, Thomas; Matuschka, Franz-Rainer; Richter, Dania; Essbauer, Sandra; Hughes, David J.; Summers, Candice; Bennett, Malcolm; Stewart, James P.; Ulrich, Rainer G.

2007-01-01

Rodent herpesviruses such as murine cytomegalovirus (host, Mus musculus), rat cytomegalovirus (host, Rattus norvegicus), and murine gammaherpesvirus 68 (hosts, Apodemus species) are important tools for the experimental study of human herpesvirus diseases. However, alphaherpesviruses, roseoloviruses, and lymphocryptoviruses, as well as rhadinoviruses, that naturally infect Mus musculus (house mouse) and other Old World mice are unknown. To identify hitherto-unknown rodent-associated herpesviruses, we captured M. musculus, R. norvegicus, and 14 other rodent species in several locations in Germany, the United Kingdom, and Thailand. Samples of trigeminal ganglia, dorsal root ganglia, brains, spleens, and other organs, as well as blood, were analyzed with a degenerate panherpesvirus PCR targeting the DNA polymerase (DPOL) gene. Herpesvirus-positive samples were subjected to a second degenerate PCR targeting the glycoprotein B (gB) gene. The sequences located between the partial DPOL and gB sequences were amplified by long-distance PCR and sequenced, resulting in a contiguous sequence of approximately 3.5 kbp. By DPOL PCR, we detected 17 novel betaherpesviruses and 21 novel gammaherpesviruses but no alphaherpesvirus. Of these 38 novel herpesviruses, 14 were successfully analyzed by the complete bigenic approach. Most importantly, the first gammaherpesvirus of Mus musculus was discovered (Mus musculus rhadinovirus 1 [MmusRHV1]). This virus is a member of a novel group of rodent gammaherpesviruses, which is clearly distinct from murine herpesvirus 68-like rodent gammaherpesviruses. Multigenic phylogenetic analysis, using an 8-kbp locus, revealed that MmusRHV1 diverged from the other gammaherpesviruses soon after the evolutionary separation of Epstein-Barr virus-like lymphocryptoviruses from human herpesvirus 8-like rhadinoviruses and alcelaphine herpesvirus 1-like macaviruses. PMID:17507487

Effects of in vivo exposure to polyfluorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins on organo-somatic indices and ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase activity in mice (Mus musculus).

PubMed

Feng, Mingbao; Jin, Hao; Qu, Ruijuan; Xu, Bingzhe; Wang, Zunyao

2016-01-28

In this study, five different congeners of polyfluorinated dibenzo-P-dioxins (PFDDs) (1,8-di-FDD, 1,3,8-tri-FDD, 1,3,6,8-tetra-FDD, 2,3,7,8-tetra-FDD and 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8-octa-FDD), representing different numbers and positions of fluorine substituents of all 75 PFDD congeners, were synthesized and purified to evaluate their potential environmental impact on living organisms. Their toxicity was evaluated by determining the impact on the organo-somatic indices (OSI) and ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD) activity in mice (Mus musculus) after intragastric administration with different doses (0.5-100 μg/kg body weight) for 3 days. The results showed that these PFDDs significantly inhibited the growth and changed the OSI in mouse tissues. Notably, hepatic EROD activity was markedly induced in mice after exposure to these PFDDs, probably indicating a high affinity of binding to the aryl hydrocarbon receptor. Overall, these findings provided some preliminary but alarming toxicity data of PFDDs, and filled information gaps in the toxicological databases for living organisms.

Demographic history of a recent invasion of house mice on the isolated Island of Gough.

PubMed

Gray, Melissa M; Wegmann, Daniel; Haasl, Ryan J; White, Michael A; Gabriel, Sofia I; Searle, Jeremy B; Cuthbert, Richard J; Ryan, Peter G; Payseur, Bret A

2014-04-01

Island populations provide natural laboratories for studying key contributors to evolutionary change, including natural selection, population size and the colonization of new environments. The demographic histories of island populations can be reconstructed from patterns of genetic diversity. House mice (Mus musculus) inhabit islands throughout the globe, making them an attractive system for studying island colonization from a genetic perspective. Gough Island, in the central South Atlantic Ocean, is one of the remotest islands in the world. House mice were introduced to Gough Island by sealers during the 19th century and display unusual phenotypes, including exceptionally large body size and carnivorous feeding behaviour. We describe genetic variation in Gough Island mice using mitochondrial sequences, nuclear sequences and microsatellites. Phylogenetic analysis of mitochondrial sequences suggested that Gough Island mice belong to Mus musculus domesticus, with the maternal lineage possibly originating in England or France. Cluster analyses of microsatellites revealed genetic membership for Gough Island mice in multiple coastal populations in Western Europe, suggesting admixed ancestry. Gough Island mice showed substantial reductions in mitochondrial and nuclear sequence variation and weak reductions in microsatellite diversity compared with Western European populations, consistent with a population bottleneck. Approximate Bayesian computation (ABC) estimated that mice recently colonized Gough Island (~100 years ago) and experienced a 98% reduction in population size followed by a rapid expansion. Our results indicate that the unusual phenotypes of Gough Island mice evolved rapidly, positioning these mice as useful models for understanding rapid phenotypic evolution. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Male meiosis and gametogenesis in wild house mice (Mus musculus domesticus) from a chromosomal hybrid zone; a comparison between "simple" Robertsonian heterozygotes and homozygotes.

PubMed

Wallace, B M; Searle, J B; Everett, C A

1992-01-01

Wild male house mice Mus musculus domesticus were collected from the hybrid zone between the John o'Groats race (2n = 32) and the standard race (2n = 40) in northern Scotland. Meiosis in both homozygotes (2n = 32, 36, and 40) and single Robertsonian heterozygotes (2n = 33, 35, and 37) was found to be orderly. At prophase/metaphase I in heterozygotes, a trivalent was formed from the metacentric and two homologous acrocentrics. At pachytene, this trivalent usually had a single side arm at the position of the centromeres, as a result of nonhomologous pairing of the acrocentrics. This side arm persisted into diplotene. Generally only a single chiasma was formed between each acrocentric and the metacentric. Anaphase I nondisjunction frequencies were estimated as 1.5% for the homozygotes and 2.7% for the heterozygotes. The extent of germ cell death between the pachytene and round spermatid stages was 18% greater in heterozygotes than in homozygotes. Our results concur with previous studies which indicate that single Robertsonian heterozygotes in wild house mice have near-normal fertility.

Foraging decisions in wild versus domestic Mus musculus: What does life in the lab select for?

PubMed

Troxell-Smith, Sandra M; Tutka, Michal J; Albergo, Jessica M; Balu, Deebika; Brown, Joel S; Leonard, John P

2016-01-01

What does domestication select for in terms of foraging and anti-predator behaviors? We applied principles of patch use and foraging theory to test foraging strategies and fear responses of three strains of Mus musculus: wild-caught, control laboratory, and genetically modified strains. Foraging choices were quantified using giving-up densities (GUDs) under three foraging scenarios: (1) patches varying in microhabitat (covered versus open), and initial resource density (low versus high); (2) daily variation in auditory cues (aerial predators and control calls); (3) patches with varying seed aggregations. Overall, both domestic strains harvested significantly more food than wild mice. Each strain revealed a significant preference for foraging under cover compared to the open, and predator calls had no detectable effects on foraging. Both domestic strains biased their harvest toward high quality patches; wild mice did not. In terms of exploiting favorable and avoiding unfavorable distributions of seeds within patches, the lab strain performed best, the wild strain worst, and the mutant strain in between. Our study provides support for hypothesis that domestic animals have more energy-efficient foraging strategies than their wild counterparts, but retain residual fear responses. Furthermore, patch-use studies can reveal the aptitudes and priorities of both domestic and wild animals. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Sexually stimulated testosterone release in male mice (Mus musculus): roles of genotype and sexual arousal.

PubMed

James, Peter J; Nyby, John G; Saviolakis, George A

2006-09-01

In virtually every mammalian species examined, some males exhibit reflexive testosterone release upon encountering a novel female (or female-related stimulus). At the same time, not every individual male (or every published study) provides evidence for reflexive testosterone release. Four experiments using house mice (Mus musculus) examined the hypothesis that both the male's genotype and his degree of sexual arousal (as indexed by ultrasonic mating calls) are related to such variability. In Experiment 1, CF-1 males exhibited reflexive testosterone elevations 30 min after encountering female urine. CK males, on the other hand, did not exhibit testosterone elevations 20, 30, 50, 60, or 80 min after encountering female urine (Experiments 1 and 2) suggesting this strain incapable of reflexive release. In Experiment 3, we measured both mating calls and reflexive testosterone release in response to female urine in CF-1 and CK males. Most males of both strains called vigorously to female urine but not to water. But, only CF-1 males exhibited significant testosterone elevations to female urine. In Experiment 4, DBA/2J males called vigorously to females followed by testosterone elevations 30 min later. The first 3 experiments support the hypothesis that male genotype is an important variable underlying mammalian reflexive testosterone release. Statistically significant correlations between mating calls in the first minute after stimulus exposure and testosterone elevations 30 min later (Experiments 3 and 4) support the hypothesis that, in capable males, reflexive testosterone release is related to the male's initial sexual arousal.

Differences in Ultrasonic Vocalizations between Wild and Laboratory California Mice (Peromyscus californicus)

PubMed Central

Kalcounis-Rueppell, Matina C.; Petric, Radmila; Briggs, Jessica R.; Carney, Catherine; Marshall, Matthew M.; Willse, John T.; Rueppell, Olav; Ribble, David O.; Crossland, Janet P.

2010-01-01

Background Ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) emitted by muroid rodents, including laboratory mice and rats, are used as phenotypic markers in behavioral assays and biomedical research. Interpretation of these USVs depends on understanding the significance of USV production by rodents in the wild. However, there has never been a study of muroid rodent ultrasound function in the wild and comparisons of USVs produced by wild and laboratory rodents are lacking to date. Here, we report the first comparison of wild and captive rodent USVs recorded from the same species, Peromyscus californicus. Methodology and Principal Findings We used standard ultrasound recording techniques to measure USVs from California mice in the laboratory (Peromyscus Genetic Stock Center, SC, USA) and the wild (Hastings Natural History Reserve, CA, USA). To determine which California mouse in the wild was vocalizing, we used a remote sensing method that used a 12-microphone acoustic localization array coupled with automated radio telemetry of all resident Peromyscus californicus in the area of the acoustic localization array. California mice in the laboratory and the wild produced the same types of USV motifs. However, wild California mice produced USVs that were 2–8 kHz higher in median frequency and significantly more variable in frequency than laboratory California mice. Significance The similarity in overall form of USVs from wild and laboratory California mice demonstrates that production of USVs by captive Peromyscus is not an artifact of captivity. Our study validates the widespread use of USVs in laboratory rodents as behavioral indicators but highlights that particular characteristics of laboratory USVs may not reflect natural conditions. PMID:20368980

Corrected placement of Mus-Rattus fossil calibration forces precision in the molecular tree of rodents.

PubMed

Kimura, Yuri; Hawkins, Melissa T R; McDonough, Molly M; Jacobs, Louis L; Flynn, Lawrence J

2015-09-28

Time calibration derived from the fossil record is essential for molecular phylogenetic and evolutionary studies. Fossil mice and rats, discovered in the Siwalik Group of Pakistan, have served as one of the best-known fossil calibration points in molecular phylogenic studies. Although these fossils have been widely used as the 12 Ma date for the Mus/Rattus split or a more basal split, conclusive paleontological evidence for the nodal assignments has been absent. This study analyzes newly recognized characters that demonstrate lineage separation in the fossil record of Siwalik murines and examines the most reasonable nodal placement of the diverging lineages in a molecular phylogenetic tree by ancestral state reconstruction. Our specimen-based approach strongly indicates that Siwalik murines of the Karnimata clade are fossil members of the Arvicanthini-Otomyini-Millardini clade, which excludes Rattus and its relatives. Combining the new interpretation with the widely accepted hypothesis that the Progonomys clade includes Mus, the lineage separation event in the Siwalik fossil record represents the Mus/Arvicanthis split. Our test analysis on Bayesian age estimates shows that this new calibration point provides more accurate estimates of murine divergence than previous applications. Thus, we define this fossil calibration point and refine two other fossil-based points for molecular dating.

Corrected placement of Mus-Rattus fossil calibration forces precision in the molecular tree of rodents

PubMed Central

Kimura, Yuri; Hawkins, Melissa T. R.; McDonough, Molly M.; Jacobs, Louis L.; Flynn, Lawrence J.

2015-01-01

Time calibration derived from the fossil record is essential for molecular phylogenetic and evolutionary studies. Fossil mice and rats, discovered in the Siwalik Group of Pakistan, have served as one of the best-known fossil calibration points in molecular phylogenic studies. Although these fossils have been widely used as the 12 Ma date for the Mus/Rattus split or a more basal split, conclusive paleontological evidence for the nodal assignments has been absent. This study analyzes newly recognized characters that demonstrate lineage separation in the fossil record of Siwalik murines and examines the most reasonable nodal placement of the diverging lineages in a molecular phylogenetic tree by ancestral state reconstruction. Our specimen-based approach strongly indicates that Siwalik murines of the Karnimata clade are fossil members of the Arvicanthini-Otomyini-Millardini clade, which excludes Rattus and its relatives. Combining the new interpretation with the widely accepted hypothesis that the Progonomys clade includes Mus, the lineage separation event in the Siwalik fossil record represents the Mus/Arvicanthis split. Our test analysis on Bayesian age estimates shows that this new calibration point provides more accurate estimates of murine divergence than previous applications. Thus, we define this fossil calibration point and refine two other fossil-based points for molecular dating. PMID:26411391

Transcriptome signatures of p,p´-DDE-induced liver damage in Mus spretus mice.

PubMed

Morales-Prieto, Noelia; Ruiz-Laguna, Julia; Sheehan, David; Abril, Nieves

2018-07-01

The use of DDT (1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl) ethane) in some countries, although regulated, is contributing to an increased worldwide risk of exposure to this organochlorine pesticide or its derivative p,p'-DDE [1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl) ethylene]. Many studies have associated p,p'-DDE exposure to type 2 diabetes, obesity and alterations of the reproductive system, but their molecular mechanisms of toxicity remain poorly understood. We have addressed this issue by using commercial microarrays based on probes for the entire Mus musculus genome to determine the hepatic transcriptional signatures of p,p'-DDE in the phylogenetically close mouse species Mus spretus. High-stringency hybridization conditions and analysis assured reliable results, which were also verified, in part, by qRT-PCR, immunoblotting and/or enzymatic activity. Our data linked 198 deregulated genes to mitochondrial dysfunction and perturbations of central signaling pathways (kinases, lipids, and retinoic acid) leading to enhanced lipogenesis and aerobic glycolysis, inflammation, cell proliferation and testosterone catabolism and excretion. Alterations of transcript levels of genes encoding enzymes involved in testosterone catabolism and excretion would explain the relationships established between p,p´-DDE exposure and reproductive disorders, obesity and diabetes. Further studies will help to fully understand the molecular basis of p,p´-DDE molecular toxicity in liver and reproductive organs, to identify effective exposure biomarkers and perhaps to design efficient p,p'-DDE exposure counteractive strategies. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of Male House Mouse Pheromone Components on Behavioral Responses of Mice in Laboratory and Field Experiments.

PubMed

Musso, Antonia E; Gries, Regine; Zhai, Huimin; Takács, Stephen; Gries, Gerhard

2017-03-01

Urine of male house mice, Mus musculus, is known to have primer pheromone effects on the reproductive physiology of female mice. Urine-mediated releaser pheromone effects that trigger certain behavioral responses are much less understood, and no field studies have investigated whether urine deposits by male or female mice, or synthetic mouse pheromone, increase trap captures of mice. In field experiments, we baited traps with bedding soiled with urine and feces of caged female or male mice, and recorded captures of mice in these and in control traps containing clean bedding. Traps baited with female bedding preferentially captured adult males, whereas traps baited with male bedding preferentially captured juvenile and adult females, indicating the presence of male- and female-specific sex pheromones in soiled bedding. Analyses of headspace volatiles emanating from soiled bedding by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry revealed that 3,4-dehydro-exo-brevicomin (DEB) was seven times more prevalent in male bedding and that 2-sec-butyl-4,5-dihydrothiazole (DHT) was male-specific. In a follow-up field experiment, traps baited with DEB and DHT captured 4 times more female mice than corresponding control traps, thus indicating that DEB and DHT are sex attractant pheromone components of house mouse males. Our study provides impetus to identify the sex attractant pheromone of female mice, and to develop synthetic mouse pheromone as a lure to enhance the efficacy of trapping programs for mouse control.

Crystal structure of the Mus81-Eme1 complex.

PubMed

Chang, Jeong Ho; Kim, Jeong Joo; Choi, Jung Min; Lee, Jung Hoon; Cho, Yunje

2008-04-15

The Mus81-Eme1 complex is a structure-specific endonuclease that plays an important role in rescuing stalled replication forks and resolving the meiotic recombination intermediates in eukaryotes. We have determined the crystal structure of the Mus81-Eme1 complex. Both Mus81 and Eme1 consist of a central nuclease domain, two repeats of the helix-hairpin-helix (HhH) motif at their C-terminal region, and a linker helix. While each domain structure resembles archaeal XPF homologs, the overall structure is significantly different from those due to the structure of a linker helix. We show that a flexible intradomain linker that formed with 36 residues in the nuclease domain of Eme1 is essential for the recognition of DNA. We identified several basic residues lining the outer surface of the active site cleft of Mus81 that are involved in the interaction with a flexible arm of a nicked Holliday junction (HJ). These interactions might contribute to the optimal positioning of the opposite junction across the nick into the catalytic site, which provided the basis for the "nick and counternick" mechanism of Mus81-Eme1 and for the nicked HJ to be the favored in vitro substrate of this enzyme.

Comparative study of murid gammaherpesvirus 4 infection in mice and in a natural host, bank voles.

PubMed

François, Sylvie; Vidick, Sarah; Sarlet, Michaël; Michaux, Johan; Koteja, Pawel; Desmecht, Daniel; Stevenson, Philip G; Vanderplasschen, Alain; Gillet, Laurent

2010-10-01

Gammaherpesviruses are archetypal pathogenic persistent viruses. The known human gammaherpesviruses (Epstein-Barr virus and Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus) are host-specific and therefore lack a convenient in vivo infection model. This makes related animal gammaherpesviruses an important source of information. Infection by murid herpesvirus 4 (MuHV-4), a virus originally isolated from bank voles (Myodes glareolus), was studied here. MuHV-4 infection of inbred laboratory mouse strains (Mus musculus) is commonly used as a general model of gammaherpesvirus pathogenesis. However, MuHV-4 has not been isolated from house mice, and no systematic comparison has been made between experimental MuHV-4 infections of mice and bank voles. This study therefore characterized MuHV-4 (strain MHV-68) infection of bank voles through global luciferase imaging and classical virological methods. As in mice, intranasal virus inoculation led to productive replication in bank vole lungs, accompanied by massive cellular infiltrates. However, the extent of lytic virus replication was approximately 1000-fold lower in bank voles than in mice. Peak latency titres in lymphoid tissue were also lower, although latency was still established. Finally, virus transmission was tested between animals maintained in captivity. However, as observed in mice, MuHV-4 was not transmitted between voles under these conditions. In conclusion, this study revealed that, despite quantitative differences, replication and the latency sites of MuHV-4 are comparable in bank voles and mice. Therefore, it appears that, so far, Mus musculus represents a suitable host for studying gammaherpesvirus pathogenesis with MuHV-4. Establishing transmission conditions in captivity will be a vital step for further research in this field.

Genetics and evolution of hybrid male sterility in house mice.

PubMed

White, Michael A; Stubbings, Maria; Dumont, Beth L; Payseur, Bret A

2012-07-01

Comparative genetic mapping provides insights into the evolution of the reproductive barriers that separate closely related species. This approach has been used to document the accumulation of reproductive incompatibilities over time, but has only been applied to a few taxa. House mice offer a powerful system to reconstruct the evolution of reproductive isolation between multiple subspecies pairs. However, studies of the primary reproductive barrier in house mice-hybrid male sterility-have been restricted to a single subspecies pair: Mus musculus musculus and Mus musculus domesticus. To provide a more complete characterization of reproductive isolation in house mice, we conducted an F(2) intercross between wild-derived inbred strains from Mus musculus castaneus and M. m. domesticus. We identified autosomal and X-linked QTL associated with a range of hybrid male sterility phenotypes, including testis weight, sperm density, and sperm morphology. The pseudoautosomal region (PAR) was strongly associated with hybrid sterility phenotypes when heterozygous. We compared QTL found in this cross with QTL identified in a previous F(2) intercross between M. m. musculus and M. m. domesticus and found three shared autosomal QTL. Most QTL were not shared, demonstrating that the genetic basis of hybrid male sterility largely differs between these closely related subspecies pairs. These results lay the groundwork for identifying genes responsible for the early stages of speciation in house mice.

MUS81 is associated with cell proliferation and cisplatin sensitivity in serous ovarian cancer

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Xie, Suhong; Zheng, Hui; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai

The dysfunction of DNA damage repair (DDR) pathway contributes to tumorigenesis and drug-resistance in cancer. MUS81 is a member of the conserved xeroderma pigmentosum group F (XPF) family protein of endonucleases, which is important to the DDR pathway. However, the role of MUS81 in the development of ovarian cancer remains uncertain. To explore the expression of MUS81 and its association to serous ovarian cancer (SOC), 43 biopsies of SOC patients were detected by qRT-PCR, and 29 specimens were further performed by immunohistochemistry analysis. Here, we observed that MUS81 was over-expressed in SOC tissues at both transcript and protein levels, andmore » the expression level of MUS81 protein in ovarian cancer cell lines was also higher than that in human normal ovarian surface epithelial cell line (HOSEpiC). We also found that down-regulation of MUS81 expression in ovarian cancer cells inhibited cell proliferation and colony formation ability, and influenced cell cycle progression. Moreover, inhibition of MUS81 expression induced cellular senescence and enhanced the antitumor effect of cisplatin. Down-regulation of MUS81 expression could suppress the growth and development of SOC. These results indicate that MUS81 might play important roles in the progression of SOC and influence the antitumor effect of cisplatin. - Highlights: • MUS81 was overexpression in serous ovarian cancer (SOC). • Meanwhile down-regulation of inhibited cell proliferation and influenced cell cycle progression. • Inhibition of MUS81 induced cell cellular senescence and enhanced the antitumor effect of cisplatin. • Down-regulation of MUS81 expression could suppress the growth and development of SOC.« less

Phosphorylation by CK2 regulates MUS81/EME1 in mitosis and after replication stress.

PubMed

Palma, Anita; Pugliese, Giusj Monia; Murfuni, Ivana; Marabitti, Veronica; Malacaria, Eva; Rinalducci, Sara; Minoprio, Anna; Sanchez, Massimo; Mazzei, Filomena; Zolla, Lello; Franchitto, Annapaola; Pichierri, Pietro

2018-06-01

The MUS81 complex is crucial for preserving genome stability through the resolution of branched DNA intermediates in mitosis. However, untimely activation of the MUS81 complex in S-phase is dangerous. Little is known about the regulation of the human MUS81 complex and how deregulated activation affects chromosome integrity. Here, we show that the CK2 kinase phosphorylates MUS81 at Serine 87 in late-G2/mitosis, and upon mild replication stress. Phosphorylated MUS81 interacts with SLX4, and this association promotes the function of the MUS81 complex. In line with a role in mitosis, phosphorylation at Serine 87 is suppressed in S-phase and is mainly detected in the MUS81 molecules associated with EME1. Loss of CK2-dependent MUS81 phosphorylation contributes modestly to chromosome integrity, however, expression of the phosphomimic form induces DSBs accumulation in S-phase, because of unscheduled targeting of HJ-like DNA intermediates, and generates a wide chromosome instability phenotype. Collectively, our findings describe a novel regulatory mechanism controlling the MUS81 complex function in human cells. Furthermore, they indicate that, genome stability depends mainly on the ability of cells to counteract targeting of branched intermediates by the MUS81/EME1 complex in S-phase, rather than on a correct MUS81 function in mitosis.

Two Genetic Determinants Acquired Late in Mus Evolution Regulate the Inclusion of Exon 5, which Alters Mouse APOBEC3 Translation Efficiency

PubMed Central

Li, Jun; Hakata, Yoshiyuki; Takeda, Eri; Liu, Qingping; Iwatani, Yasumasa; Kozak, Christine A.; Miyazawa, Masaaki

2012-01-01

Mouse apolipoprotein B mRNA-editing enzyme catalytic polypeptide-like editing complex 3 (mA3), an intracellular antiviral factor, has 2 allelic variations that are linked with different susceptibilities to beta- and gammaretrovirus infections among various mouse strains. In virus-resistant C57BL/6 (B6) mice, mA3 transcripts are more abundant than those in susceptible BALB/c mice both in the spleen and bone marrow. These strains of mice also express mA3 transcripts with different splicing patterns: B6 mice preferentially express exon 5-deficient (Δ5) mA3 mRNA, while BALB/c mice produce exon 5-containing full-length mA3 mRNA as the major transcript. Although the protein product of the Δ5 mRNA exerts stronger antiretroviral activities than the full-length protein, how exon 5 affects mA3 antiviral activity, as well as the genetic mechanisms regulating exon 5 inclusion into the mA3 transcripts, remains largely uncharacterized. Here we show that mA3 exon 5 is indeed a functional element that influences protein synthesis at a post-transcriptional level. We further employed in vitro splicing assays using genomic DNA clones to identify two critical polymorphisms affecting the inclusion of exon 5 into mA3 transcripts: the number of TCCT repeats upstream of exon 5 and the single nucleotide polymorphism within exon 5 located 12 bases upstream of the exon 5/intron 5 boundary. Distribution of the above polymorphisms among different Mus species indicates that the inclusion of exon 5 into mA3 mRNA is a relatively recent event in the evolution of mice. The widespread geographic distribution of this exon 5-including genetic variant suggests that in some Mus populations the cost of maintaining an effective but mutagenic enzyme may outweigh its antiviral function. PMID:22275865

Genomic resources for wild populations of the house mouse, Mus musculus and its close relative Mus spretus

PubMed Central

Harr, Bettina; Karakoc, Emre; Neme, Rafik; Teschke, Meike; Pfeifle, Christine; Pezer, Željka; Babiker, Hiba; Linnenbrink, Miriam; Montero, Inka; Scavetta, Rick; Abai, Mohammad Reza; Molins, Marta Puente; Schlegel, Mathias; Ulrich, Rainer G.; Altmüller, Janine; Franitza, Marek; Büntge, Anna; Künzel, Sven; Tautz, Diethard

2016-01-01

Wild populations of the house mouse (Mus musculus) represent the raw genetic material for the classical inbred strains in biomedical research and are a major model system for evolutionary biology. We provide whole genome sequencing data of individuals representing natural populations of M. m. domesticus (24 individuals from 3 populations), M. m. helgolandicus (3 individuals), M. m. musculus (22 individuals from 3 populations) and M. spretus (8 individuals from one population). We use a single pipeline to map and call variants for these individuals and also include 10 additional individuals of M. m. castaneus for which genomic data are publically available. In addition, RNAseq data were obtained from 10 tissues of up to eight adult individuals from each of the three M. m. domesticus populations for which genomic data were collected. Data and analyses are presented via tracks viewable in the UCSC or IGV genome browsers. We also provide information on available outbred stocks and instructions on how to keep them in the laboratory. PMID:27622383

Context dependence of acorn handling by the Algerian mouse (Mus spretus)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gallego, D.; Morán-López, T.; Torre, I.; Navarro-Castilla, Á.; Barja, I.; Díaz, M.

2017-10-01

Perceived predation risk and competition for acorns are expected to affect scatter-hoarding decisions by Algerian mice (Mus spretus). We manipulated both factors by means of predator fecal scents and ungulate exclosures. We hypothesized that high-risk perception and ungulate presence would promote acorn dispersal. In the former case, it would stimulate acorn mobilization to safe microhabitats rather than in situ consumption. In the latter, increased competition for acorns would promote their storage for later consumption. We also expected that mice would adapt their foraging behavior to previous experience modulating the strength of these effects. In the presence of ungulates, mice focused their foraging activities on food acquisition at the expenses of vigilant behaviors. However, a more efficient foraging did not entail enhanced dispersal services. Lack of anti-predatory cover in tree surroundings may have deterred mice from transporting seeds outside canopies. Increased risk interacted with previous experience. In control trees (no predator odor), mice confidence increased throughout the night resulting in decreased vigilance and enhanced acorn mobilization rates. In contrast, in risky conditions (trees with predator odor) mice maintained a base-line vigilant behavior. Contrary to our expectations, increased risk did not result in higher acorn mobilization, but the opposite. Again, the scarcity of safe microhabitats for mobilization may have been the underlying cause of this behavior. Our results show that successful acorn dispersal depends, at least partly, on plant-animal relationships that are beyond the oak-rodent mutualism. Thus, any conservation policy aimed at restoring natural regeneration of oaks should take into account the interaction network in which oak-rodent encounters are embedded. In addition, they suggest that mice incorporate direct and indirect cues of risks (habitat structure) through recent experience. A better understanding of this process

The effect of intrauterine position on the survival, reproduction and home range size of female house mice (Mus musculus)

Treesearch

W. J. Zielinski; F. S. vom Saal; J. G. Vandenbergh

1992-01-01

In laboratory studies using albino house mice, a female's prior intrauterine position can affect many postnatal physiological, morphological and behavioral characteristics. Females flanked by males in utero (2M females) exhibit more aggressive dominance than females flanked by females (OM females). Thus, wild 2M...

Reduced spatial learning in mice infected with the nematode, Heligmosomoides polygyrus.

PubMed

Kavaliers, M; Colwell, D D

1995-06-01

Parasite modification of host behaviour influences a number of critical responses, but little is known about the effects on host spatial abilities. This study examined the effects of infection with the intestinal trichostrongylid nematode, Heligmosomoides polygyrus, on spatial water maze learning by male laboratory mice, Mus musculus. In this task individual mice had to learn the spatial location of a submerged hidden platform using extramaze visual cues. Determinations of spatial performance were made on day 19 post-infection with mice that had been administered either 50 or 200 infective larvae of H. polygyrus. The infected mice displayed over 1 day of testing (6 blocks of 4 trials) significantly poorer acquisition and retention of the water maze task than either sham-infected or control mice, with mice that had received 200 infective larvae displaying significantly poorer spatial performance than individuals receiving 50 larvae. The decrease in spatial learning occurred in the absence of either any symptoms of illness and malaise, or any evident motor, visual and motivational impairments. It is suggested that in this single host system the parasitic infection-induced decrease in spatial learning arises as a side-effect of the host's immunological and neuromodulatory responses and represents a fitness cost of response to infection.

Skin mites in mice (Mus musculus): high prevalence of Myobia sp. (Acari, Arachnida) in Robertsonian mice.

PubMed

Sastre, Natalia; Calvete, Oriol; Martínez-Vargas, Jessica; Medarde, Nuria; Casellas, Joaquim; Altet, Laura; Sánchez, Armand; Francino, Olga; Ventura, Jacint

2018-07-01

Myobia sp. and Demodex sp. are two skin mites that infest mice, particularly immunodeficient or transgenic lab mice. In the present study, wild house mice from five localities from the Barcelona Roberstonian system were analysed in order to detect skin mites and compare their prevalence between standard (2n = 40) and Robertsonian mice (2n > 40). We found and identified skin mites through real-time qPCR by comparing sequences from the mitochondrial 16S rRNA and the nuclear 18S rRNA genes since no sequences are available so far using the mitochondrial gene. Fourteen positive samples were identified as Myobia musculi except for a deletion of 296 bp out to 465 bp sequenced, and one sample was identified as Demodex canis. Sampling one body site, the mite prevalence in standard and Robertsonian mice was 0 and 26%, respectively. The malfunction of the immune system elicits an overgrowth of skin mites and consequently leads to diseases such as canine demodicosis in dogs or rosacea in humans. In immunosuppressed mice, the probability of developing demodicosis is higher than in healthy mice. Since six murine toll-like receptors (TLRs) are located in four chromosomes affected by Robertsonian fusions, we cannot dismiss that differences in mite prevalence could be the consequence of the interruption of TLR function. Although ecological and/or morphological factors cannot be disregarded to explain differences in mite prevalence, the detection of translocation breakpoints in TLR genes or the analysis of TLR gene expression are needed to elucidate how Robertsonian fusions affect the immune system in mice.

Genetics and Evolution of Hybrid Male Sterility in House Mice

PubMed Central

White, Michael A.; Stubbings, Maria; Dumont, Beth L.; Payseur, Bret A.

2012-01-01

Comparative genetic mapping provides insights into the evolution of the reproductive barriers that separate closely related species. This approach has been used to document the accumulation of reproductive incompatibilities over time, but has only been applied to a few taxa. House mice offer a powerful system to reconstruct the evolution of reproductive isolation between multiple subspecies pairs. However, studies of the primary reproductive barrier in house mice—hybrid male sterility—have been restricted to a single subspecies pair: Mus musculus musculus and Mus musculus domesticus. To provide a more complete characterization of reproductive isolation in house mice, we conducted an F2 intercross between wild-derived inbred strains from Mus musculus castaneus and M. m. domesticus. We identified autosomal and X-linked QTL associated with a range of hybrid male sterility phenotypes, including testis weight, sperm density, and sperm morphology. The pseudoautosomal region (PAR) was strongly associated with hybrid sterility phenotypes when heterozygous. We compared QTL found in this cross with QTL identified in a previous F2 intercross between M. m. musculus and M. m. domesticus and found three shared autosomal QTL. Most QTL were not shared, demonstrating that the genetic basis of hybrid male sterility largely differs between these closely related subspecies pairs. These results lay the groundwork for identifying genes responsible for the early stages of speciation in house mice. PMID:22554891

Genetics of Rapid and Extreme Size Evolution in Island Mice

PubMed Central

Gray, Melissa M.; Parmenter, Michelle D.; Hogan, Caley A.; Ford, Irene; Cuthbert, Richard J.; Ryan, Peter G.; Broman, Karl W.; Payseur, Bret A.

2015-01-01

Organisms on islands provide a revealing window into the process of adaptation. Populations that colonize islands often evolve substantial differences in body size from their mainland relatives. Although the ecological drivers of this phenomenon have received considerable attention, its genetic basis remains poorly understood. We use house mice (subspecies: Mus musculus domesticus) from remote Gough Island to provide a genetic portrait of rapid and extreme size evolution. In just a few hundred generations, Gough Island mice evolved the largest body size among wild house mice from around the world. Through comparisons with a smaller-bodied wild-derived strain from the same subspecies (WSB/EiJ), we demonstrate that Gough Island mice achieve their exceptional body weight primarily by growing faster during the 6 weeks after birth. We use genetic mapping in large F2 intercrosses between Gough Island mice and WSB/EiJ to identify 19 quantitative trait loci (QTL) responsible for the evolution of 16-week weight trajectories: 8 QTL for body weight and 11 QTL for growth rate. QTL exhibit modest effects that are mostly additive. We conclude that body size evolution on islands can be genetically complex, even when substantial size changes occur rapidly. In comparisons to published studies of laboratory strains of mice that were artificially selected for divergent body sizes, we discover that the overall genetic profile of size evolution in nature and in the laboratory is similar, but many contributing loci are distinct. Our results underscore the power of genetically characterizing the entire growth trajectory in wild populations and lay the foundation necessary for identifying the mutations responsible for extreme body size evolution in nature. PMID:26199233

The DNA repair endonuclease Mus81 facilitates fast DNA replication in the absence of exogenous damage

PubMed Central

Fu, Haiqing; Martin, Melvenia M.; Regairaz, Marie; Huang, Liang; You, Yang; Lin, Chi-Mei; Ryan, Michael; Kim, RyangGuk; Shimura, Tsutomu; Pommier, Yves; Aladjem, Mirit I.

2015-01-01

The Mus81 endonuclease resolves recombination intermediates and mediates cellular responses to exogenous replicative stress. Here, we show that Mus81 also regulates the rate of DNA replication during normal growth by promoting replication fork progression while reducing the frequency of replication initiation events. In the absence of Mus81 endonuclease activity, DNA synthesis is slowed and replication initiation events are more frequent. In addition, Mus81 deficient cells fail to recover from exposure to low doses of replication inhibitors and cell viability is dependent on the XPF endonuclease. Despite an increase in replication initiation frequency, cells lacking Mus81 use the same pool of replication origins as Mus81-expressing cells. Therefore, decelerated DNA replication in Mus81 deficient cells does not initiate from cryptic or latent origins not used during normal growth. These results indicate that Mus81 plays a key role in determining the rate of DNA replication without activating a novel group of replication origins. PMID:25879486

Construction of a small Mus musculus repetitive DNA library: identification of a new satellite sequence in Mus musculus.

PubMed Central

Pietras, D F; Bennett, K L; Siracusa, L D; Woodworth-Gutai, M; Chapman, V M; Gross, K W; Kane-Haas, C; Hastie, N D

1983-01-01

We report the construction of a small library of recombinant plasmids containing Mus musculus repetitive DNA inserts. The repetitive cloned fraction was derived from denatured genomic DNA by reassociation to a Cot value at which repetitive, but not unique, sequences have reannealed followed by exhaustive S1 nuclease treatment to degrade single stranded DNA. Initial characterizations of this library by colony filter hybridizations have led to the identification of a previously undetected M. musculus minor satellite as well as to clones containing M. musculus major satellite sequences. This new satellite is repeated 10-20 times less than the major satellite in the M. musculus genome. It has a repeat length of 130 nucleotides compared with the M. musculus major satellite with a repeat length of 234 nucleotides. Sequence analysis of the minor satellite has shown that it has a 29 base pair region with extensive homology to one of the major satellite repeating subunits. We also show by in situ hybridization that this minor satellite sequence is located at the centromeres and possibly the arms of at least half the M musculus chromosomes. Sequences related to the minor satellite have been found in the DNA of a related Mus species, Mus spretus, and may represent the major satellite of that species. Images PMID:6314268

Mus308 Processes Oxygen and Nitrogen Ethylation DNA Damage in Germ Cells of Drosophila

PubMed Central

Díaz-Valdés, Nancy; Comendador, Miguel A.; Sierra, L. María

2010-01-01

The D. melanogaster mus308 gene, highly conserved among higher eukaryotes, is implicated in the repair of cross-links and of O-ethylpyrimidine DNA damage, working in a DNA damage tolerance mechanism. However, despite its relevance, its possible role on the processing of different DNA ethylation damages is not clear. To obtain data on mutation frequency and on mutation spectra in mus308 deficient (mus308−) conditions, the ethylating agent diethyl sulfate (DES) was analysed in postmeiotic male germ cells. These data were compared with those corresponding to mus308 efficient conditions. Our results indicate that Mus308 is necessary for the processing of oxygen and N-ethylation damage, for the survival of fertilized eggs depending on the level of induced DNA damage, and for an influence of the DNA damage neighbouring sequence. These results support the role of mus308 in a tolerance mechanism linked to a translesion synthesis pathway and also to the alternative end-joinig system. PMID:20936147

Recombination rate variation in mice from an isolated island.

PubMed

Wang, Richard J; Gray, Melissa M; Parmenter, Michelle D; Broman, Karl W; Payseur, Bret A

2017-01-01

Recombination rate is a heritable trait that varies among individuals. Despite the major impact of recombination rate on patterns of genetic diversity and the efficacy of selection, natural variation in this phenotype remains poorly characterized. We present a comparison of genetic maps, sampling 1212 meioses, from a unique population of wild house mice (Mus musculus domesticus) that recently colonized remote Gough Island. Crosses to a mainland reference strain (WSB/EiJ) reveal pervasive variation in recombination rate among Gough Island mice, including subchromosomal intervals spanning up to 28% of the genome. In spite of this high level of polymorphism, the genomewide recombination rate does not significantly vary. In general, we find that recombination rate varies more when measured in smaller genomic intervals. Using the current standard genetic map of the laboratory mouse to polarize intervals with divergent recombination rates, we infer that the majority of evolutionary change occurred in one of the two tested lines of Gough Island mice. Our results confirm that natural populations harbour a high level of recombination rate polymorphism and highlight the disparities in recombination rate evolution across genomic scales. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Recombination rate variation in mice from an isolated island

PubMed Central

Wang, Richard J.; Gray, Melissa M.; Parmenter, Michelle D.; Broman, Karl W.; Payseur, Bret A.

2016-01-01

Recombination rate is a heritable trait that varies among individuals. Despite the major impact of recombination rate on patterns of genetic diversity and the efficacy of selection, natural variation in this phenotype remains poorly characterized. We present a comparison of genetic maps, sampling 1,212 meioses, from a unique population of wild house mice (Mus musculus domesticus) that recently colonized remote Gough Island. Crosses to a mainland reference strain (WSB/EiJ) reveal pervasive variation in recombination rate among Gough Island mice, including sub-chromosomal intervals spanning up to 28% of the genome. In spite of this high level of polymorphism, the genome-wide recombination rate does not significantly vary. In general, we find that recombination rate varies more when measured in smaller genomic intervals. Using the current standard genetic map of the laboratory mouse to polarize intervals with divergent recombination rates, we infer that the majority of evolutionary change occurred in one of the two tested lines of Gough Island mice. Our results confirm that natural populations harbor a high level of recombination rate polymorphism and highlight the disparities in recombination rate evolution across genomic scales. PMID:27864900

Natural Pathogens of Laboratory Mice, Rats, and Rabbits and Their Effects on Research

PubMed Central

Baker, David G.

1998-01-01

Laboratory mice, rats, and rabbits may harbor a variety of viral, bacterial, parasitic, and fungal agents. Frequently, these organisms cause no overt signs of disease. However, many of the natural pathogens of these laboratory animals may alter host physiology, rendering the host unsuitable for many experimental uses. While the number and prevalence of these pathogens have declined considerably, many still turn up in laboratory animals and represent unwanted variables in research. Investigators using mice, rats, and rabbits in biomedical experimentation should be aware of the profound effects that many of these agents can have on research. PMID:9564563

One normal void and residual following MUS surgery is all that is necessary in most patients.

PubMed

Ballard, Paul; Shawer, Sami; Anderson, Colette; Khunda, Aethele

2018-04-01

There is considerable variation worldwide on how the assessment of voiding function is performed following midurethral sling (MUS) surgery. There is potentially a financial cost, and reduction in efficiency when patient discharge is delayed. Using our current practice of two normal void and residual (V&R) readings before discharge, the aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the likelihood of an abnormal second V&R test if the first V&R test was normal in order to determine if a policy of discharge after only one satisfactory V&R test is reasonable. Data from 400 patients who had had MUS surgery with or without other procedures were collected. Our unit protocol included two consecutive voids of greater than 200 ml with residuals less than 150 ml before discharge. The patients were divided into the following groups: MUS only, MUS plus anterior colporrhaphy (AR) plus any other procedures (MUS/AR), and MUS with any non-AR procedures (MUS+). Complete datasets were available for 335 patients. Once inadequate tests (low volume voids <200 ml) had been excluded (28% overall), the likelihood of an abnormal second V&R test if the first test was normal was 7.1% overall, but 3.6% for MUS, 11.5% for MUS/AR and 8.6% for MUS+. The findings in the MUS-only group indicate that it is probably safe to discharge patients after one satisfactory V&R test, as long as safety measures such as 'open access' are available so that patients have unhindered readmission if problems arise.

Damage tolerance protein Mus81 associates with the FHA1 domain of checkpoint kinase Cds1.

PubMed

Boddy, M N; Lopez-Girona, A; Shanahan, P; Interthal, H; Heyer, W D; Russell, P

2000-12-01

Cds1, a serine/threonine kinase, enforces the S-M checkpoint in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe. Cds1 is required for survival of replicational stress caused by agents that stall replication forks, but how Cds1 performs these functions is largely unknown. Here we report that the forkhead-associated-1 (FHA1) protein-docking domain of Cds1 interacts with Mus81, an evolutionarily conserved damage tolerance protein. Mus81 has an endonuclease homology domain found in the XPF nucleotide excision repair protein. Inactivation of mus81 reveals a unique spectrum of phenotypes. Mus81 enables survival of deoxynucleotide triphosphate starvation, UV radiation, and DNA polymerase impairment. Mus81 is essential in the absence of Bloom's syndrome Rqh1 helicase and is required for productive meiosis. Genetic epistasis studies suggest that Mus81 works with recombination enzymes to properly replicate damaged DNA. Inactivation of Mus81 triggers a checkpoint-dependent delay of mitosis. We propose that Mus81 is involved in the recruitment of Cds1 to aberrant DNA structures where Cds1 modulates the activity of damage tolerance enzymes.

A tracking system for laboratory mice to support medical researchers in behavioral analysis.

PubMed

Macrì, S; Mainetti, L; Patrono, L; Pieretti, S; Secco, A; Sergi, I

2015-08-01

The behavioral analysis of laboratory mice plays a key role in several medical and scientific research areas, such as biology, toxicology, pharmacology, and so on. Important information on mice behavior and their reaction to a particular stimulus is deduced from a careful analysis of their movements. Moreover, behavioral analysis of genetically modified mice allows obtaining important information about particular genes, phenotypes or drug effects. The techniques commonly adopted to support such analysis have many limitations, which make the related systems particularly ineffective. Currently, the engineering community is working to explore innovative identification and sensing technologies to develop new tracking systems able to guarantee benefits to animals' behavior analysis. This work presents a tracking solution based on passive Radio Frequency Identification Technology (RFID) in Ultra High Frequency (UHF) band. Much emphasis is given to the software component of the system, based on a Web-oriented solution, able to process the raw tracking data coming from a hardware system, and offer 2D and 3D tracking information as well as reports and dashboards about mice behavior. The system has been widely tested using laboratory mice and compared with an automated video-tracking software (i.e., EthoVision). The obtained results have demonstrated the effectiveness and reliability of the proposed solution, which is able to correctly detect the events occurring in the animals' cage, and to offer a complete and user-friendly tool to support researchers in behavioral analysis of laboratory mice.

Topical Treatment of Dermatophytic Lesion on Mice (Mus musculus) Model.

PubMed

Sharma, Bindu; Kumar, Padma; Joshi, Suresh Chandra

2011-06-01

Antidermatophytic potential of three weed plants viz. Tridax procumbens L., Capparis decidua (forsk) Edgew and Lantana camara L. were explored and experimentally induced dermatophytic lesion was topically treated in mice. Microbroth dilution method was carried out for determination of MIC and MFC of different extracts of selected plants. In animal studies, mice were experimentally inoculated with Trichophyton mentagrophytes and infected animals were topically treated with 5 mg/g terbinafine and two concentrations, i.e., 5 and 10 mg/g of test extract ointment. Complete recovery from the infection was observed on 12th day of treatment for reference drug terbinafine (5 mg/g) and 10 mg/g concentration of test extract ointment whereas 5 mg/g concentration of test extract ointment showed complete cure on 16th day of treatment. Fungal burden was also calculated by culturing skin scrapings from infected animals of different groups. Test extract ointment successfully treated induced dermatophytosis in mice without any disease recurrence incidences, thereby indicating efficacy of test extract as an excellent topical antifungal agent for the cure of dermatophytosis.

Damage-dependent regulation of MUS81-EME1 by Fanconi anemia complementation group A protein

PubMed Central

Benitez, Anaid; Yuan, Fenghua; Nakajima, Satoshi; Wei, Leizhen; Qian, Liangyue; Myers, Richard; Hu, Jennifer J.; Lan, Li; Zhang, Yanbin

2014-01-01

MUS81-EME1 is a DNA endonuclease involved in replication-coupled repair of DNA interstrand cross-links (ICLs). A prevalent hypothetical role of MUS81-EME1 in ICL repair is to unhook the damage by incising the leading strand at the 3′ side of an ICL lesion. In this study, we report that purified MUS81-EME1 incises DNA at the 5′ side of a psoralen ICL residing in fork structures. Intriguingly, ICL repair protein, Fanconi anemia complementation group A protein (FANCA), greatly enhances MUS81-EME1-mediated ICL incision. On the contrary, FANCA exhibits a two-phase incision regulation when DNA is undamaged or the damage affects only one DNA strand. Studies using truncated FANCA proteins indicate that both the N- and C-moieties of the protein are required for the incision regulation. Using laser-induced psoralen ICL formation in cells, we find that FANCA interacts with and recruits MUS81 to ICL lesions. This report clarifies the incision specificity of MUS81-EME1 on ICL damage and establishes that FANCA regulates the incision activity of MUS81-EME1 in a damage-dependent manner. PMID:24170812

Genetics of Rapid and Extreme Size Evolution in Island Mice.

PubMed

Gray, Melissa M; Parmenter, Michelle D; Hogan, Caley A; Ford, Irene; Cuthbert, Richard J; Ryan, Peter G; Broman, Karl W; Payseur, Bret A

2015-09-01

Organisms on islands provide a revealing window into the process of adaptation. Populations that colonize islands often evolve substantial differences in body size from their mainland relatives. Although the ecological drivers of this phenomenon have received considerable attention, its genetic basis remains poorly understood. We use house mice (subspecies: Mus musculus domesticus) from remote Gough Island to provide a genetic portrait of rapid and extreme size evolution. In just a few hundred generations, Gough Island mice evolved the largest body size among wild house mice from around the world. Through comparisons with a smaller-bodied wild-derived strain from the same subspecies (WSB/EiJ), we demonstrate that Gough Island mice achieve their exceptional body weight primarily by growing faster during the 6 weeks after birth. We use genetic mapping in large F(2) intercrosses between Gough Island mice and WSB/EiJ to identify 19 quantitative trait loci (QTL) responsible for the evolution of 16-week weight trajectories: 8 QTL for body weight and 11 QTL for growth rate. QTL exhibit modest effects that are mostly additive. We conclude that body size evolution on islands can be genetically complex, even when substantial size changes occur rapidly. In comparisons to published studies of laboratory strains of mice that were artificially selected for divergent body sizes, we discover that the overall genetic profile of size evolution in nature and in the laboratory is similar, but many contributing loci are distinct. Our results underscore the power of genetically characterizing the entire growth trajectory in wild populations and lay the foundation necessary for identifying the mutations responsible for extreme body size evolution in nature. Copyright © 2015 by the Genetics Society of America.

To enrich or not to enrich: providing shelter does not complicate handling of laboratory mice.

PubMed

Moons, Christel P H; Van Wiele, Peggy; Odberg, Frank O

2004-07-01

Environmental enrichment (EE) is used in laboratory animal housing to provide stimuli exceeding those of barren cages and is intended to improve the welfare of captive animals. It is argued that when laboratory mice can routinely retreat in sheltering objects when humans are present, they do not habituate to humans and continue to shy away, thereby increasing the time needed for husbandry and testing procedures. To this date very limited research has been carried out to determine whether providing EE in the form of shelter interferes with the habituation of mice to humans and thus complicates catching and handling them. We housed 20 FVB (inbred) and 20 NMRI (outbred) male mice in standard cages and another 20 FVB and 20 NMRI male mice in cages enriched with two PVC conduits. When the mice were 10 weeks old, measurements of food and water consumption, weight, latency of catching, and a behavior score in response to handling during a sham subcutaneous injection were performed weekly for 4 consecutive weeks. Food and water consumption and weight were influenced by strain, but the presence of EE in the home cage did not affect these parameters as much. Outbred mice ate, drank, and weighed more than did the inbred animals, but they did not significantly gain weight during the course of the 4 testing weeks. Cage enrichment in the form of PVC conduits decreased the time needed to catch outbred animals and did not increase the time needed to catch mice from the inbred strain. Furthermore, no differences in resistance to being held during the sham injection could be detected between animals from the enriched versus non-enriched group. These results indicate that EE in the form of sheltering objects does not complicate catching or handling mice and that allowing access to enrichment in the laboratory cage, which has been shown to have positive effects on welfare, does not interfere with the management or cost of laboratory animals. Copyright 2004 American Association for

[The reproductive correlates of social hierarchy in laboratory male mice].

PubMed

Osadchuk, L B; Salomacheva, I N; Bragin, A V; Osadchuk, A V

2007-01-01

In laboratory male mice the effects of social hierarchy on hormonal and spermatogenic testicular function, accessory organs and testicular weights, sexual behaviour have been investigated using an experimental model of social hierarchy, which is characterised by a minimal size (two male mice) and 5 days period of social interactions. The social rank of the partners was detected by asymmetry in aggressive behaviour. Using the experimental condition, when the both partners have no preferences for exclusive use of area we demonstrated that there were no rank differences in the number of mounts and testicular testosterone content. Nevertheless a rank asymmetry in the male sniffing behaviour towards a receptive female, weights of the testes, seminal vesicles, epididymes and the number of epididymal sperm was kept up in a stable social group. Social dominance was found to affect negatively on testicular testosterone increase in response to introduction of a receptive female and sexual attractiveness of male to a receptive female in both dominant and subordinate males. The results obtained demonstrate the impact of social hierarchy on reproduction in laboratory male mice, particular in respect of spermatogenesis and the testicular testosterone in response to a receptive female.

To Group or Not to Group? Good Practice for Housing Male Laboratory Mice

PubMed Central

Kappel, Sarah; Hawkins, Penny; Mendl, Michael T.

2017-01-01

Simple Summary Wild mice live in territories inhabited by one adult male, several females, and their offspring. This cannot be replicated in the laboratory, so male mice are usually housed in single-sex groups or individually. However, there can be serious animal welfare problems associated with both these approaches, such as lack of social contact when housed individually or aggression between males when kept in groups. Group housing is widely recommended to give male laboratory mice the opportunity to behave as ‘social animals’, but social stress can be detrimental to the welfare of these animals, even without injurious fighting. All of this can also affect the quality of the science, giving rise to ethical concerns. This review discusses whether it is in the best welfare interests of male mice to be housed in groups, or alone. We conclude that it is not possible to give general recommendations for good practice for housing male laboratory mice, as responses to single- and group-housing can be highly context-dependent. The welfare implications of housing protocols should be researched and considered in each case. Abstract It is widely recommended to group-house male laboratory mice because they are ‘social animals’, but male mice do not naturally share territories and aggression can be a serious welfare problem. Even without aggression, not all animals within a group will be in a state of positive welfare. Rather, many male mice may be negatively affected by the stress of repeated social defeat and subordination, raising concerns about welfare and also research validity. However, individual housing may not be an appropriate solution, given the welfare implications associated with no social contact. An essential question is whether it is in the best welfare interests of male mice to be group- or singly housed. This review explores the likely impacts—positive and negative—of both housing conditions, presents results of a survey of current practice and

Efficiency of Leptotrombidium chiggers (Acari: Trombiculidae) at transmitting Orientia tsutsugamushi to laboratory mice.

PubMed

Lerdthusnee, Kriangkrai; Khlaimanee, Nittaya; Monkanna, Taweesak; Sangjun, Noppadon; Mungviriya, Siriporn; Linthicum, Kenneth J; Frances, Stephen P; Kollars, Thomas M; Coleman, Russell E

2002-05-01

Thirteen different laboratory colonies of Leptotrombidim chiggers [L. chiangraiensis Tanskul & Linthicum, L. deliense Walch and L. imphalum (Vercammen-Grandjean &Langston)] were evaluated for their ability to transmit Orientia tsutsugamushi (Hyashi) to mice. Of 4,372 transmission attempts using individual chiggers from all 13 colonies, 75% (n = 3,275) successfully infected mice. Transmission rates for the individual chigger colonies ranged from 7 to 80%. Increasing the number of chiggers that fed on a given mouse generally increased transmission rates. Transmission of O. tsutsugamushi to mice by different generations (F1-F11) of certain chigger colonies was stable; however, transmission rates varied greatly in other colonies. Transmission rates (both vertical and horizontal) of several L. changraiensis colonies and the L. deliense colony were the highest, suggesting that these colonies may be useful for the development of a chigger-challenge model that can be used to evaluate the efficacy of candidate scrub typhus vaccines or therapeutic agents in laboratory mice.

Polymorphism in hybrid male sterility in wild-derived Mus musculus musculus strains on proximal chromosome 17.

PubMed

Vyskocilová, Martina; Prazanová, Gabriela; Piálek, Jaroslav

2009-02-01

The hybrid sterility-1 (Hst1) locus at Chr 17 causes male sterility in crosses between the house mouse subspecies Mus musculus domesticus (Mmd) and M. m. musculus (Mmm). This locus has been defined by its polymorphic variants in two laboratory strains (Mmd genome) when mated to PWD/Ph mice (Mmm genome): C57BL/10 (carrying the sterile allele) and C3H (fertile allele). The occurrence of sterile and/or fertile (wild Mmm x C57BL)F1 males is evidence that polymorphism for this trait also exists in natural populations of Mmm; however, the nature of this polymorphism remains unclear. Therefore, we derived two wild-origin Mmm strains, STUS and STUF, that produce sterile and fertile males, respectively, in crosses with C57BL mice. To determine the genetic basis underlying male fertility, the (STUS x STUF)F1 females were mated to C57BL/10 J males. About one-third of resulting hybrid males (33.8%) had a significantly smaller epididymis and testes than parental animals and lacked spermatozoa due to meiotic arrest. A further one-fifth of males (20.3%) also had anomalous reproductive traits but produced some spermatozoa. The remaining fertile males (45.9%) displayed no deviation from values found in parental individuals. QTL analysis of the progeny revealed strong associations of male fitness components with the proximal end of Chr 17, and a significant effect of the central section of Chr X on testes mass. The data suggest that genetic incompatibilities associated with male sterility have evolved independently at the proximal end of Chr 17 and are polymorphic within both Mmd and Mmm genomes.

Crystal structures of the structure-selective nuclease Mus81-Eme1 bound to flap DNA substrates

PubMed Central

Gwon, Gwang Hyeon; Jo, Aera; Baek, Kyuwon; Jin, Kyeong Sik; Fu, Yaoyao; Lee, Jong-Bong; Kim, YoungChang; Cho, Yunje

2014-01-01

The Mus81-Eme1 complex is a structure-selective endonuclease with a critical role in the resolution of recombination intermediates during DNA repair after interstrand cross-links, replication fork collapse, or double-strand breaks. To explain the molecular basis of 3′ flap substrate recognition and cleavage mechanism by Mus81-Eme1, we determined crystal structures of human Mus81-Eme1 bound to various flap DNA substrates. Mus81-Eme1 undergoes gross substrate-induced conformational changes that reveal two key features: (i) a hydrophobic wedge of Mus81 that separates pre- and post-nick duplex DNA and (ii) a “5′ end binding pocket” that hosts the 5′ nicked end of post-nick DNA. These features are crucial for comprehensive protein-DNA interaction, sharp bending of the 3′ flap DNA substrate, and incision strand placement at the active site. While Mus81-Eme1 unexpectedly shares several common features with members of the 5′ flap nuclease family, the combined structural, biochemical, and biophysical analyses explain why Mus81-Eme1 preferentially cleaves 3′ flap DNA substrates with 5′ nicked ends. PMID:24733841

Joint Molecule Resolution Requires the Redundant Activities of MUS-81 and XPF-1 during Caenorhabditis elegans Meiosis

PubMed Central

O'Neil, Nigel J.; Martin, Julie S.; Youds, Jillian L.; Ward, Jordan D.; Petalcorin, Mark I. R.; Rose, Anne M.; Boulton, Simon J.

2013-01-01

The generation and resolution of joint molecule recombination intermediates is required to ensure bipolar chromosome segregation during meiosis. During wild type meiosis in Caenorhabditis elegans, SPO-11-generated double stranded breaks are resolved to generate a single crossover per bivalent and the remaining recombination intermediates are resolved as noncrossovers. We discovered that early recombination intermediates are limited by the C. elegans BLM ortholog, HIM-6, and in the absence of HIM-6 by the structure specific endonuclease MUS-81. In the absence of both MUS-81 and HIM-6, recombination intermediates persist, leading to chromosome breakage at diakinesis and inviable embryos. MUS-81 has an additional role in resolving late recombination intermediates in C. elegans. mus-81 mutants exhibited reduced crossover recombination frequencies suggesting that MUS-81 is required to generate a subset of meiotic crossovers. Similarly, the Mus81-related endonuclease XPF-1 is also required for a subset of meiotic crossovers. Although C. elegans gen-1 mutants have no detectable meiotic defect either alone or in combination with him-6, mus-81 or xpf-1 mutations, mus-81;xpf-1 double mutants are synthetic lethal. While mus-81;xpf-1 double mutants are proficient for the processing of early recombination intermediates, they exhibit defects in the post-pachytene chromosome reorganization and the asymmetric disassembly of the synaptonemal complex, presumably triggered by crossovers or crossover precursors. Consistent with a defect in resolving late recombination intermediates, mus-81; xpf-1 diakinetic bivalents are aberrant with fine DNA bridges visible between two distinct DAPI staining bodies. We were able to suppress the aberrant bivalent phenotype by microinjection of activated human GEN1 protein, which can cleave Holliday junctions, suggesting that the DNA bridges in mus-81; xpf-1 diakinetic oocytes are unresolved Holliday junctions. We propose that the MUS-81 and XPF-1

Female nursing partner choice in a population of wild house mice (Mus musculus domesticus).

PubMed

Harrison, Nicola; Lindholm, Anna K; Dobay, Akos; Halloran, Olivia; Manser, Andri; König, Barbara

2018-01-01

Communal nursing in house mice is an example of cooperation where females pool litters in the same nest and indiscriminately nurse own and other offspring despite potential exploitation. The direct fitness benefits associated with communal nursing shown in laboratory studies suggest it to be a selected component of female house mice reproductive behaviour. However, past studies on communal nursing in free-living populations have debated whether it is a consequence of sharing the same nest or an active choice. Here using data from a long-term study of free-living, wild house mice we investigated individual nursing decisions and determined what factors influenced a female's decision to nurse communally. Females chose to nurse solitarily more often than expected by chance, but the likelihood of nursing solitarily decreased when females had more partners available. While finding no influence of pairwise relatedness on partner choice, we observed that females shared their social environment with genetically similar individuals, suggesting a female's home area consisted of related females, possibly facilitating the evolution of cooperation. Within such a home area females were more likely to nest communally when the general relatedness of her available options was relatively high. Females formed communal nests with females that were familiar through previous associations and had young pups of usually less than 5 days old. Our findings suggest that communal nursing was not a by-product of sharing the same nesting sites, but females choose communal nursing partners from a group of genetically similar females, and ultimately the decision may then depend on the pool of options available. Social partner choice proved to be an integrated part of cooperation among females, and might allow females to reduce the conflict over number of offspring in a communal nest and milk investment towards own and other offspring. We suggest that social partner choice may be a general

mus304 encodes a novel DNA damage checkpoint protein required during Drosophila development

PubMed Central

Brodsky, Michael H.; Sekelsky, Jeff J.; Tsang, Garson; Hawley, R. Scott; Rubin, Gerald M.

2000-01-01

Checkpoints block cell cycle progression in eukaryotic cells exposed to DNA damaging agents. We show that several Drosophila homologs of checkpoint genes, mei-41, grapes, and 14-3-3ε, regulate a DNA damage checkpoint in the developing eye. We have used this assay to show that the mutagen-sensitive gene mus304 is also required for this checkpoint. mus304 encodes a novel coiled-coil domain protein, which is targeted to the cytoplasm. Similar to mei-41, mus304 is required for chromosome break repair and for genomic stability. mus304 animals also exhibit three developmental defects, abnormal bristle morphology, decreased meiotic recombination, and arrested embryonic development. We suggest that these phenotypes reflect distinct developmental consequences of a single underlying checkpoint defect. Similar mechanisms may account for the puzzling array of symptoms observed in humans with mutations in the ATM tumor suppressor gene. PMID:10733527

Potential of MuS1 Transgenic Tobacco for Phytoremediation of the Urban Soils Contaminated with Cadmium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, K. H.; Kim, Y. N.; Kim, S. H.

2010-05-01

Urban soils are prone to contamination by trace elements such as Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn. Phytoremediation is one of the attractive remediation methods for soils contaminated with trace elements due to its non-destructive and environmentally-friendly characteristic. Scientists have tried to find hyper-accumulator plants in nature or to develop transgenic plant through genetic engineering. This study was carried out to identify a potential of MuS1 transgenic tobacco for phytoremediation of the urban soils contaminated with Cd. MuS1 is known as a multiple stress related gene with several lines. The previous study using RT-PCR showed that the expression of MuS1 gene in tobacco plant induced tolerance to Cd stress. For this study, MuS1 transgenic tobacco and wild-type tobacco (control) were cultivated in a hydroponic system treated with Cd (0, 50, 100 and 200μM Cd) for 3 weeks. At harvest, both tobacco and nutrient solution were collected and were analyzed for Cd. Effect of Cd treatment on morphological change of the tobacco leaves was also observed by variable-pressure scanning electron microscopy (VP-SEM). The tolerance of MuS1 transgenic tobacco to Cd stress was better than that of wild-type tobacco at all Cd levels. Especially, wild-type tobacco showed chlorosis and withering with 200μM Cd treatment, whereas MuS1 transgenic tobacco gradually recovered from Cd damage. Wild-type tobacco accumulated more Cd (4.65mg per plant) than MuS1 transgenic tobacco (2.37mg per plant) with 200μM Cd treatment. Cd translocation rate from root to leaves was 81.8 % for wild-type tobacco compared to 37.1 % for MuS1 transgenic tobacco. Result of VP-SEM showed that the number of trichome in the leaves for wild-type tobacco increased in comparison with that for untreated samples after 3 weeks, while that for MuS1 transgenic tobacco was not changed by Cd treatment. Results showed that the mechanism of the recovery of the MuS1 tobacco plant was not by high level of Cd uptake and accumulation

Maltose Uptake by the Novel ABC Transport System MusEFGK2I Causes Increased Expression of ptsG in Corynebacterium glutamicum

PubMed Central

Henrich, Alexander; Kuhlmann, Nora; Eck, Alexander W.; Krämer, Reinhard

2013-01-01

The Gram-positive Corynebacterium glutamicum efficiently metabolizes maltose by a pathway involving maltodextrin and glucose formation by 4-α-glucanotransferase, glucose phosphorylation by glucose kinases, and maltodextrin degradation via maltodextrin phosphorylase and α-phosphoglucomutase. However, maltose uptake in C. glutamicum has not been investigated. Interestingly, the presence of maltose in the medium causes increased expression of ptsG in C. glutamicum by an unknown mechanism, although the ptsG-encoded glucose-specific EII permease of the phosphotransferase system itself is not required for maltose utilization. We identified the maltose uptake system as an ABC transporter encoded by musK (cg2708; ATPase subunit), musE (cg2705; substrate binding protein), musF (cg2704; permease), and musG (cg2703; permease) by combination of data obtained from characterization of maltose uptake and reanalyses of transcriptome data. Deletion of the mus gene cluster in C. glutamicum Δmus abolished maltose uptake and utilization. Northern blotting and reverse transcription-PCR experiments revealed that musK and musE are transcribed monocistronically, whereas musF and musG are part of an operon together with cg2701 (musI), which encodes a membrane protein of unknown function with no homologies to characterized proteins. Characterization of growth and [14C]maltose uptake in the musI insertion strain C. glutamicum IMcg2701 showed that musI encodes a novel essential component of the maltose ABC transporter of C. glutamicum. Finally, ptsG expression during cultivation on different carbon sources was analyzed in the maltose uptake-deficient strain C. glutamicum Δmus. Indeed, maltose uptake by the novel ABC transport system MusEFGK2I is required for the positive effect of maltose on ptsG expression in C. glutamicum. PMID:23543710

Effects of Breeding Configuration on Maternal and Weanling Behavior in Laboratory Mice.

PubMed

Braden, Gillian C; Rasmussen, Skye; Monette, Sebastien; Tolwani, Ravi J

2017-07-01

Although numerous studies have evaluated the effect of housing density on the wellbeing of laboratory mice, little is known about the effect of breeding configuration on mouse behavior. The 8th edition of the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals lists the recommended minimal floor area per animal for a female mouse and her litter as 51 in.2 We sought to determine the effects of pair, trio, and harem breeding configurations on the maternal and weanling behavior of C57BL/6J (B6) and 129S6/SvEvTac (129) mice on the basis of nest scores and performance in pup retrieval tests, open-field test (OFT), elevated plus maze, and tail suspension test; we concurrently evaluated cage microenvironment, reproductive indices, and anatomic and clinical pathology. Harem breeding configurations enhanced B6 maternal behaviors as evidenced by significantly shorter pup retrieval times. Trio- and harem-raised B6 weanlings showed increased exploratory behaviors, as evidenced by greater time spent in the center of the OFT, when compared with pair-raised B6 mice. Conversely, breeding configuration did not alter pup retrieval times for 129 mice, and on the day of weaning trio- and harem-raised 129 mice demonstrated increased anxiety-like behavior, as evidenced by greater time spent in the periphery of the OFT, when compared with pair-raised counterparts. Behavioral differences were not noted on subsequent days for either strain. Trio- and harem-raised B6 and 129 weanling mice had significantly higher weaning weights than weanlings raised in a pair breeding configuration. Trio and harem breeding in a standard 67-in.2 shoebox cage did not detrimentally affect the evaluated welfare parameters in either C57BL/6J or 129S6/SvEvTac mice.

X-Ray Detection of the Cluster Containing the Cepheid S Mus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Evans, Nancy Remage; Pillitteri, Ignazio; Wolk, Scott; Guinan, Edward; Engle, Scott; Bond, Howard E.; Schaefer, Gail H.; Karovska, Margarita; DePasquale, Joseph; Tingle, Evan

2014-04-01

The galactic Cepheid S Muscae has recently been added to the important list of Cepheids linked to open clusters, in this case the sparse young cluster ASCC 69. Low-mass members of a young cluster are expected to have rapid rotation and X-ray activity, making X-ray emission an excellent way to discriminate them from old field stars. We have made an XMM-Newton observation centered on S Mus and identified a population of X-ray sources whose near-IR Two Micron All Sky Survey counterparts lie at locations in the J, (J - K) color-magnitude diagram consistent with cluster membership at the distance of S Mus. Their median energy and X-ray luminosity are consistent with young cluster members as distinct from field stars. These strengthen the association of S Mus with the young cluster, making it a potential Leavitt law (period-luminosity relation) calibrator.

Nutritional influences of overfeeding on experimental outcomes in laboratory mice: consequences for gut microbiota and other functional studies.

PubMed

Bischoff, Stephan C; Volynets, Valentina

2016-08-01

Data from literature suggests that laboratory mice are often overfed and malnourished. This might have several reasons, including: (i) we usually offer an ad libitum diet, which is not the natural way of feeding for a wild mouse; (ii) many commercial diets we use contain rather high amounts of carbohydrates, particularly of sugars, and low amounts of fat; and (iii) laboratory mice live in a warm and constricted environment in which energy expenditure is lower than in the wild. Such selective or global overfeeding in laboratory mice, which resembles the widespread overfeeding in humans, although it does not always result in overweight, likely affects a number of outcome variables analyzed in laboratory mice, such as microbiota composition and function, metabolic alterations, longevity, intestinal permeability and inflammation. Therefore, a careful selection of experimental diets and their way of administration, as well as detailed documentation, is mandatory in order to understand and compare scientific data obtained from different mouse experiments. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier GmbH.

Dbf4-dependent kinase and the Rtt107 scaffold promote Mus81-Mms4 resolvase activation during mitosis.

PubMed

Princz, Lissa N; Wild, Philipp; Bittmann, Julia; Aguado, F Javier; Blanco, Miguel G; Matos, Joao; Pfander, Boris

2017-03-01

DNA repair by homologous recombination is under stringent cell cycle control. This includes the last step of the reaction, disentanglement of DNA joint molecules (JMs). Previous work has established that JM resolving nucleases are activated specifically at the onset of mitosis. In case of budding yeast Mus81-Mms4, this cell cycle stage-specific activation is known to depend on phosphorylation by CDK and Cdc5 kinases. Here, we show that a third cell cycle kinase, Cdc7-Dbf4 (DDK), targets Mus81-Mms4 in conjunction with Cdc5-both kinases bind to as well as phosphorylate Mus81-Mms4 in an interdependent manner. Moreover, DDK-mediated phosphorylation of Mms4 is strictly required for Mus81 activation in mitosis, establishing DDK as a novel regulator of homologous recombination. The scaffold protein Rtt107, which binds the Mus81-Mms4 complex, interacts with Cdc7 and thereby targets DDK and Cdc5 to the complex enabling full Mus81 activation. Therefore, Mus81 activation in mitosis involves at least three cell cycle kinases, CDK, Cdc5 and DDK Furthermore, tethering of the kinases in a stable complex with Mus81 is critical for efficient JM resolution. © 2017 The Authors. Published under the terms of the CC BY NC ND 4.0 license.

Anti-cholesterol activity in vivo test of multifunction herbs extract in the water using in vivo method in mice (Mus musculus L.) DDY-strain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tristantini, Dewi; Christina, Diana

2018-02-01

Atherosclerosis is the hardening of the arteries due to cholesterol accumulation in the blood vessels. The occurrence of cardiovascular disease can be reduced by lowering cholesterol levels in the blood. Nevertheless, using some pharmaceutical synthetic medicine for lowering the cholesterol has several side effects that dangerous for human body. There are 3 plants, tanjung leaf (Mimusops elengi L.), star fruit leaf (Averrhoa carambola L.), and curcuma (Curcuma xanthorrhiza L.), which are combined empirically believed would serve as multifunction herbs. Tanjung leaf has been known to have antioxidant, anti-cholesterol, and anti-platelet activity, also star fruit leaf have anti-hyperglycemia activity. Furthermore, curcuma has been known as a hepatoprotection agent. In this study, the combination of all three simplicias were used as anti-cholesterol. Anti-cholesterol activity test by in vivo method using mice (Mus muculus L.) result in decreased cholesterol as much as 47% for 250 mL human dosage in 7 days. This performance equals to 73% of simvastatin activity in decreased cholesterol. In this study, we can conclude the multifunction herbs that were combination of tanjung (M. elengi) leaf, star fruit leaf (Averrhoa carambola L.), and curcuma (Curcuma xanthorrhiza L.) extract can be used as cholesterol decreasing medicine.

Locomotor trade-offs in mice selectively bred for high voluntary wheel running.

PubMed

Dlugosz, Elizabeth M; Chappell, Mark A; McGillivray, David G; Syme, Douglas A; Garland, Theodore

2009-08-01

We investigated sprint performance and running economy of a unique ;mini-muscle' phenotype that evolved in response to selection for high voluntary wheel running in laboratory mice (Mus domesticus). Mice from four replicate selected (S) lines run nearly three times as far per day as four control lines. The mini-muscle phenotype, resulting from an initially rare autosomal recessive allele, has been favoured by the selection protocol, becoming fixed in one of the two S lines in which it occurred. In homozygotes, hindlimb muscle mass is halved, mass-specific muscle oxidative capacity is doubled, and the medial gastrocnemius exhibits about half the mass-specific isotonic power, less than half the mass-specific cyclic work and power, but doubled fatigue resistance. We hypothesized that mini-muscle mice would have a lower whole-animal energy cost of transport (COT), resulting from lower costs of cycling their lighter limbs, and reduced sprint speed, from reduced maximal force production. We measured sprint speed on a racetrack and slopes (incremental COT, or iCOT) and intercepts of the metabolic rate versus speed relationship during voluntary wheel running in 10 mini-muscle and 20 normal S-line females. Mini-muscle mice ran faster and farther on wheels, but for less time per day. Mini-muscle mice had significantly lower sprint speeds, indicating a functional trade-off. However, contrary to predictions, mini-muscle mice had higher COT, mainly because of higher zero-speed intercepts and postural costs (intercept-resting metabolic rate). Thus, mice with altered limb morphology after intense selection for running long distances do not necessarily run more economically.

Viral Diversity of House Mice in New York City.

PubMed

Williams, Simon H; Che, Xiaoyu; Garcia, Joel A; Klena, John D; Lee, Bohyun; Muller, Dorothy; Ulrich, Werner; Corrigan, Robert M; Nichol, Stuart; Jain, Komal; Lipkin, W Ian

2018-04-17

The microbiome of wild Mus musculus (house mouse), a globally distributed invasive pest that resides in close contact with humans in urban centers, is largely unexplored. Here, we report analysis of the fecal virome of house mice in residential buildings in New York City, NY. Mice were collected at seven sites in Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn, and the Bronx over a period of 1 year. Unbiased high-throughput sequencing of feces revealed 36 viruses from 18 families and 21 genera, including at least 6 novel viruses and 3 novel genera. A representative screen of 15 viruses by PCR confirmed the presence of 13 of these viruses in liver. We identified an uneven distribution of diversity, with several viruses being associated with specific locations. Higher mouse weight was associated with an increase in the number of viruses detected per mouse, after adjusting for site, sex, and length. We found neither genetic footprints to known human viral pathogens nor antibodies to lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus. IMPORTANCE Mice carry a wide range of infectious agents with zoonotic potential. Their proximity to humans in the built environment is therefore a concern for public health. Laboratory mice are also the most common experimental model for investigating the pathobiology of infectious diseases. In this survey of mice trapped in multiple locations within New York City over a period of 1 year, we found a diverse collection of viruses that includes some previously not associated with house mice and others that appear to be novel. Although we found no known human pathogens, our findings provide insights into viral ecology and may yield models that have utility for clinical microbiology. Copyright © 2018 Williams et al.

Feasibility of Using Rice Hulls as Bedding for Laboratory Mice.

PubMed

Carbone, Elizabeth T; Kass, Philip H; Evans, Kristin D

2016-01-01

Factors that are considered when selecting laboratory mouse bedding include animal health and comfort, cost, effects on personnel, and bioactive properties. Corncob is economical and facilitates low intracage ammonia but has undesirable influences on some endocrine studies. Rice hulls are an economical material that has not been well characterized as a bedding substrate. In this pilot study, we compared various aspects of bedding performance of rice hulls and other materials. On a per-volume basis, rice hulls were less absorbent than was corncob bedding. Rice hulls had higher odds than did corncob or reclaimed wood pulp of having moisture present at the bedding surface. The results of the absorbency tests coupled with the results of preliminary monitoring of intracage ammonia raised concern about the ability of rice hulls to control ammonia levels sufficiently in cages with high occupancy. However, ammonia was negligible when cages contained 5 young adult female mice. The relative expression of 3 cytochrome p450 genes was compared among mice housed on rice hulls, corncob, reclaimed wood pulp, or pine shavings. The expression of Cyp1a2 was 1.7 times higher in the livers of mice housed on rice hulls than on pine shavings, but other differences were not statistically significant. This study provides information on the merits of rice hulls as laboratory mouse bedding. Their relatively poor moisture control is a major disadvantage that might preclude their widespread use.

Feasibility of Using Rice Hulls as Bedding for Laboratory Mice

PubMed Central

Carbone, Elizabeth T; Kass, Philip H; Evans, Kristin D

2016-01-01

Factors that are considered when selecting laboratory mouse bedding include animal health and comfort, cost, effects on personnel, and bioactive properties. Corncob is economical and facilitates low intracage ammonia but has undesirable influences on some endocrine studies. Rice hulls are an economical material that has not been well characterized as a bedding substrate. In this pilot study, we compared various aspects of bedding performance of rice hulls and other materials. On a per-volume basis, rice hulls were less absorbent than was corncob bedding. Rice hulls had higher odds than did corncob or reclaimed wood pulp of having moisture present at the bedding surface. The results of the absorbency tests coupled with the results of preliminary monitoring of intracage ammonia raised concern about the ability of rice hulls to control ammonia levels sufficiently in cages with high occupancy. However, ammonia was negligible when cages contained 5 young adult female mice. The relative expression of 3 cytochrome p450 genes was compared among mice housed on rice hulls, corncob, reclaimed wood pulp, or pine shavings. The expression of Cyp1a2 was 1.7 times higher in the livers of mice housed on rice hulls than on pine shavings, but other differences were not statistically significant. This study provides information on the merits of rice hulls as laboratory mouse bedding. Their relatively poor moisture control is a major disadvantage that might preclude their widespread use. PMID:27177559

Spermatogenic structure and fertility of Mus musculus after exposure of mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana L) pericarp extract

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hayati, Alfiah; Agustin, Melia Eka; Rokhimaningrum, Farida Ayu; Adro'i, Hasan; Darmanto, Win

2016-03-01

This study aimed to determine the effect of mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana L.) pericarp extract on spermatogenics number, seminiferous tubules sized, profile protein of epididymal and testicular sperm, and fertility of mice (Mus musculus). Fourty two male mice strain BALB/C was divided equally into 7 groups. The control group was given 0.05 ml of 0.05% CMC solution. Three group were given mangosteen pericarp extract at various doses (75, 100 and 150 mg/kg body weight, respectively) for 7 days, while the other three groups were given the same extract dose for 35 days. Parameters evaluated on histological of spermatogonia, spermatocytes, round spermatids, seminiferous tubule diameter, and thickness of germinal epithelium, analysis of testicular and epidydimal protein profile with SDS-Page, and than fertility test on female mice. The results showed that mangosteen pericarp extract at 75 and 100 mg/kg dose for 7 days had no effect on spermatogenics number and seminiferous tubule sizes, but the treatment dose of 150 mg/kg for 7 days and all treatment (doses of 75, 100, and 150 mg/kg) for 35 days led to significant decrease on the number of spermatogenics and seminiferous tubule sizes; effect on protein profiles testicular and epididymal sperm; and lower fertilization.

Intraperitoneal Administration of Ethanol as a Means of Euthanasia for Neonatal Mice (Mus musculus)

PubMed Central

Dyer, Cecilia de Souza; Brice, Angela K; Marx, James O

2017-01-01

The humane euthanasia of animals in research is of paramount importance. Neonatal mice frequently respond differently to euthanasia agents when compared with adults. The AVMA's Guidelines for the Euthanasia of Animals includes intraperitoneal injection of ethanol as “acceptable with conditions,” and recent work confirmed that this method is appropriate for euthanizing adult mice, but neonatal mice have not been tested. To explore this method in neonatal mice, mouse pups (C57BL/6 and CD1, 162 total) were injected with 100% ethanol, a pentobarbital–phenytoin combination, or saline at 7, 14, 21, 28, or 35 d of age. Electrocardiograms, respiratory rates, and times to loss of righting reflex and death were recorded. Time to death (TTD) differed significantly between ethanol and pentobarbital–phenytoin at 7, 14, and 21 d and between ethanol groups at 7, 14, and 21 d compared with 35 d. The average TTD (± 1 SD) for ethanol-injected mice were: 7 d, 70.3 ± 39.8 min; 14 d, 51.7 ± 30.5 min; 21 d, 32.3 ± 20.8 min, 28 d, 14.0 ± 15.2; and 35 d, 4.9 ± 1.4. Mean TTD in pentobarbital–phenytoin-injected mice were: 7 d, 2.8 ± 0.4 min; 14 d, 2.9 ± 0.5 min; 21 d, 3.9 ± 1.2 min; 28 d, 3.9 ± 0.7 min; and 35 d, 4.4 ± 0.5. Although TTD did not differ between ethanol and pentobarbital–phenytoin at 28 d of age, the TTD in 3 of 12 mice was longer than 15 min after ethanol administration at this age. Therefore, ethanol should not be used as a method of euthanasia for mice younger than 35 d, because the criteria for humane euthanasia were met only in mice 35 d or older. PMID:28535865

Intraperitoneal Administration of Ethanol as a Means of Euthanasia for Neonatal Mice (Mus musculus).

PubMed

de Souza Dyer, Cecilia; Brice, Angela K; Marx, James O

2017-05-01

The humane euthanasia of animals in research is of paramount importance. Neonatal mice frequently respond differently to euthanasia agents when compared with adults. The AVMA's Guidelines for the Euthanasia of Animals includes intraperitoneal injection of ethanol as "acceptable with conditions," and recent work confirmed that this method is appropriate for euthanizing adult mice, but neonatal mice have not been tested. To explore this method in neonatal mice, mouse pups (C57BL/6 and CD1, 162 total) were injected with 100% ethanol, a pentobarbital-phenytoin combination, or saline at 7, 14, 21, 28, or 35 d of age. Electrocardiograms, respiratory rates, and times to loss of righting reflex and death were recorded. Time to death (TTD) differed significantly between ethanol and pentobarbital-phenytoin at 7, 14, and 21 d and between ethanol groups at 7, 14, and 21 d compared with 35 d. The average TTD (± 1 SD) for ethanol-injected mice were: 7 d, 70.3 ± 39.8 min; 14 d, 51.7 ± 30.5 min; 21 d, 32.3 ± 20.8 min, 28 d, 14.0 ± 15.2; and 35 d, 4.9 ± 1.4. Mean TTD in pentobarbital-phenytoin-injected mice were: 7 d, 2.8 ± 0.4 min; 14 d, 2.9 ± 0.5 min; 21 d, 3.9 ± 1.2 min; 28 d, 3.9 ± 0.7 min; and 35 d, 4.4 ± 0.5. Although TTD did not differ between ethanol and pentobarbital-phenytoin at 28 d of age, the TTD in 3 of 12 mice was longer than 15 min after ethanol administration at this age. Therefore, ethanol should not be used as a method of euthanasia for mice younger than 35 d, because the criteria for humane euthanasia were met only in mice 35 d or older.

Sequence analysis of chromosome 1 revealed different selection patterns between Chinese wild mice and laboratory strains.

PubMed

Xu, Fuyi; Hu, Shixian; Chao, Tianzhu; Wang, Maochun; Li, Kai; Zhou, Yuxun; Xu, Hongyan; Xiao, Junhua

2017-10-01

Both natural and artificial selection play a critical role in animals' adaptation to the environment. Detection of the signature of selection in genomic regions can provide insights for understanding the function of specific phenotypes. It is generally assumed that laboratory mice may experience intense artificial selection while wild mice more natural selection. However, the differences of selection signature in the mouse genome and underlying genes between wild and laboratory mice remain unclear. In this study, we used two mouse populations: chromosome 1 (Chr 1) substitution lines (C1SLs) derived from Chinese wild mice and mouse genome project (MGP) sequenced inbred strains and two selection detection statistics: Fst and Tajima's D to identify the signature of selection footprint on Chr 1. For the differentiation between the C1SLs and MGP, 110 candidate selection regions containing 47 protein coding genes were detected. A total of 149 selection regions which encompass 7.215 Mb were identified in the C1SLs by Tajima's D approach. While for the MGP, we identified nearly twice selection regions (243) compared with the C1SLs which accounted for 13.27 Mb Chr 1 sequence. Through functional annotation, we identified several biological processes with significant enrichment including seven genes in the olfactory transduction pathway. In addition, we searched the phenotypes associated with the 47 candidate selection genes identified by Fst. These genes were involved in behavior, growth or body weight, mortality or aging, and immune systems which align well with the phenotypic differences between wild and laboratory mice. Therefore, the findings would be helpful for our understanding of the phenotypic differences between wild and laboratory mice and applications for using this new mouse resource (C1SLs) for further genetics studies.

Two radiation-induced chromosomal inversions in mice (Mus musculus).

PubMed

Roderick, T H; Hawes, N L

1970-10-01

Whole-body x-irradiation of male mice has produced presumptive paracentric inversions in 15 animals, as evidenced by high frequencies of first meiotic anaphase bridges. Two of the highest frequencies observed have been propagated through several generations and found to behave as dominant genes. Acentric fragments were observed associated with about 10% of the bridges. The first inversion, in linkage group XIII, has been designated In(13)1Rk, and the second, in linkage group XVII, In(17)2Rk. For In(13)1Rk, recombination was reduced between loci inside and outside the inverted segment.

Remarkable Changes in Behavior and Physiology of Laboratory Mice after the Massive 2011 Tohoku Earthquake in Japan

PubMed Central

Yanai, Shuichi; Semba, Yuki; Endo, Shogo

2012-01-01

A devastating earthquake and tsunami hit Japan on March 11, 2011, followed by several long and intense aftershocks. Laboratory mice housed in the Tokyo, located approximately 330 km south of this earthquake’s epicenter, displayed remarkable changes in a variety of behaviors and physiological measures. Although unusual pre-earthquake behaviors have been previously reported in laboratory animals, little is known about behavioral and physiological changes that occur after a great earthquake. In the present study, the effects of Tohoku earthquake on mice behavior were investigated. “Earthquake-experienced” mice displayed a marked increase in food consumption without gaining body weight in response to the earthquake. They also displayed enhanced anxiety, and in a formal fear memory task, showed significantly greater tone- and context-dependent conditioned freezing. Water maze performance of earthquake-experienced mice showed the quicker acquisition of the task, faster swim speed and longer swim distance than the naive mice. Serum corticosterone levels were elevated compared to the naive mice, indicating that the earthquake and aftershocks were stressful for the mice. These results demonstrate that great earthquakes strongly affect mouse behaviors and physiology. Although the effects of a variety of experimental manipulations on mouse behaviors in disease models or in models of higher cognitive functions have been extensively examined, researchers need to be aware how natural phenomena, such as earthquakes and perhaps other natural environmental factors, influence laboratory animal behaviors and physiology. PMID:22957073

[Meiotic drive for aberrant chromosome 1 in mice is determined by a linked distorter].

PubMed

Agul'nik, S I; Sabantsev, I D; Orlova, G V; Ruvinskiĭ, A O

1992-12-01

An aberrant chromosome 1 carrying an inverted fragment with two amplified DNA regions was isolated from natural populations of Mus musculus. A meiotic drive favouring the aberrant chromosome was previously demonstrated for heterozygous females. The cause for this was the preferential passage of the chromosome 1 to the oocyte. Genetic analysis made it possible to identify a two-component system conditioning the deviation from equal segregation of the homologues. The system consists of the postulated distorter and a responder. The distorter is located on the chromosome 1 distally to the responder, between the 1n and Pep 3 genes, the former acting on the responder when in the trans position. Polymorphism of the distorters was manifested as variation in their effect on the meiotic drive level in the laboratory strain and mice from natural populations.

Quantitative analysis of neuronal response properties in primary and higher-order auditory cortical fields of awake house mice (Mus musculus)

PubMed Central

Joachimsthaler, Bettina; Uhlmann, Michaela; Miller, Frank; Ehret, Günter; Kurt, Simone

2014-01-01

Because of its great genetic potential, the mouse (Mus musculus) has become a popular model species for studies on hearing and sound processing along the auditory pathways. Here, we present the first comparative study on the representation of neuronal response parameters to tones in primary and higher-order auditory cortical fields of awake mice. We quantified 12 neuronal properties of tone processing in order to estimate similarities and differences of function between the fields, and to discuss how far auditory cortex (AC) function in the mouse is comparable to that in awake monkeys and cats. Extracellular recordings were made from 1400 small clusters of neurons from cortical layers III/IV in the primary fields AI (primary auditory field) and AAF (anterior auditory field), and the higher-order fields AII (second auditory field) and DP (dorsoposterior field). Field specificity was shown with regard to spontaneous activity, correlation between spontaneous and evoked activity, tone response latency, sharpness of frequency tuning, temporal response patterns (occurrence of phasic responses, phasic-tonic responses, tonic responses, and off-responses), and degree of variation between the characteristic frequency (CF) and the best frequency (BF) (CF–BF relationship). Field similarities were noted as significant correlations between CFs and BFs, V-shaped frequency tuning curves, similar minimum response thresholds and non-monotonic rate-level functions in approximately two-thirds of the neurons. Comparative and quantitative analyses showed that the measured response characteristics were, to various degrees, susceptible to influences of anesthetics. Therefore, studies of neuronal responses in the awake AC are important in order to establish adequate relationships between neuronal data and auditory perception and acoustic response behavior. PMID:24506843

Genetic structure and inter-generic relationship of closed colony of laboratory rodents based on RAPD markers.

PubMed

Kumar, Mahadeo; Kumar, Sharad

2014-11-01

Molecular genetic analysis was performed using random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) on three commonly used laboratory bred rodent genera viz. mouse (Mus musculus), rat (Rattus norvegicus) and guinea pig (Cavia porcellus) as sampled from the breeding colony maintained at the Animal Facility, CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research, Lucknow. In this study, 60 samples, 20 from each genus, were analyzed for evaluation of genetic structure of rodent stocks based on polymorphic bands using RAPD markers. Thirty five random primers were assessed for RAPD analysis. Out of 35, only 20 primers generated a total of 56.88% polymorphic bands among mice, rats and guinea pigs. The results revealed significantly variant and distinct fingerprint patterns specific to each of the genus. Within-genera analysis, the highest (89.0%) amount of genetic homogeneity was observed in mice samples and the least (79.3%) were observed in guinea pig samples. The amount of genetic homogeneity was observed very high within all genera. The average genetic diversity index observed was low (0.045) for mice and high (0.094) for guinea pigs. The inter-generic distances were maximum (0.8775) between mice and guinea pigs; and the minimum (0.5143) between rats and mice. The study proved that the RAPD markers are useful as genetic markers for assessment of genetic structure as well as inter-generic variability assessments.

Ovarian function in mice results in abrogated skeletal muscle PPARdelta and FoxO1-mediated gene expression

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Menopause, the age-related loss of ovarian hormone production, promotes increased adiposity and associated metabolic pathology, but molecular mechanisms remain unclear. We previously reported that estrogen increases skeletal muscle PPARDelta expression in vivo, and transgenic mice overexpressing mus...

Development of a multiplex serological assay reveals a worldwide distribution of murine astrovirus infections in laboratory mice.

PubMed

Schmidt, Katja; Butt, Julia; Mauter, Petra; Vogel, Klaus; Erles-Kemna, Andrea; Pawlita, Michael; Nicklas, Werner

2017-01-01

Laboratory mice play a tremendous role in biomedical research in studies on immunology, infection, cancer and therapy. In the course of standardization of mice used in animal experiments, health monitoring constitutes an important instrument towards microbiological standardization. Infections with murine astroviruses (MuAstV) were only recently discovered and are, therefore, still relatively unknown in laboratory animal science. In rodent health monitoring viral infections within a population are commonly assessed in terms of specific antibodies by serological testing, as active infection and excretion of virus is often temporary and can easily be missed. So far only ongoing infections with astroviruses can be detected by PCR. The objective of this work was the development of a sensitive and specific MuAstV multiplex serological assay with a high-throughput capability to be used in routine testing of laboratory mice. Four different MuAstV proteins were recombinantly expressed and used as antigens. The best reacting antigen, the capsid spike protein VP27, was selected and tested with a panel of 400 sera of mice from units with a known MuAstV status. Assay sensitivity and specificity resulted in 98.5% and 100%, respectively, compared to RT-PCR results. Eventually this assay was used to test 5529 serum samples in total, during routine diagnostics at the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) in Heidelberg between 2015 and 2017. High sero-prevalence rates of up to 98% were detected in units with open cages indicating that the virus is highly infectious and circulates within these populations virtually infecting all animals regardless of the mouse strain. In addition, data collected from 312 mice purchased from commercial breeders and from 661 mice from 58 research institutes in 15 countries worldwide allowed the conclusion that MuAstV is widespread in contemporary laboratory mouse populations.

Effect of parsley (Petroselinum crispum, Apiaceae) juice against cadmium neurotoxicity in albino mice (Mus musculus).

PubMed

Maodaa, Saleh N; Allam, Ahmed A; Ajarem, Jamaan; Abdel-Maksoud, Mostafa A; Al-Basher, Gadah I; Wang, Zun Yao

2016-02-04

Parsley was employed as an experimental probe to prevent the behavioral, biochemical and morphological changes in the brain tissue of the albino mice following chronic cadmium (Cd) administration. Non-anesthetized adult male mice were given parsley juice (Petroselinum crispum, Apiaceae) daily by gastric intubation at doses of 10 and 20 g/kg/day. The animals were divided into six groups: Group A, mice were exposed to saline; Groups B and C, were given low and high doses of parsley juice, respectively; Group D, mice were exposed to Cd; Groups E and F, were exposed to Cd and concomitantly given low and high doses of parsley, respectively. Cd intoxication can cause behavioral abnormalities, biochemical and histopathological disturbances in treated mice. Parsley juice has significantly improved the Cd-associated behavioral changes, reduced the elevation of lipid peroxidation and normalized the Cd effect on reduced glutathione and peroxidase activities in the brain of treated mice. Histological data have supported these foundations whereas Cd treatment has induced neuronal degeneration, chromatolysis and pyknosis in the cerebrum, cerebellum and medulla oblongata. The low dose (5 g/kg/day) of parsley exhibited beneficial effects in reducing the deleterious changes associated with Cd treatment on the behavior, neurotransmitters level, oxidative stress and brain neurons of the Cd-treated mice.

Genetic Dissection of a Key Reproductive Barrier Between Nascent Species of House Mice

PubMed Central

White, Michael A.; Steffy, Brian; Wiltshire, Tim; Payseur, Bret A.

2011-01-01

Reproductive isolation between species is often caused by deleterious interactions among loci in hybrids. Finding the genes involved in these incompatibilities provides insight into the mechanisms of speciation. With recently diverged subspecies, house mice provide a powerful system for understanding the genetics of reproductive isolation early in the speciation process. Although previous studies have yielded important clues about the genetics of hybrid male sterility in house mice, they have been restricted to F1 sterility or incompatibilities involving the X chromosome. To provide a more complete characterization of this key reproductive barrier, we conducted an F2 intercross between wild-derived inbred strains from two subspecies of house mice, Mus musculus musculus and Mus musculus domesticus. We identified a suite of autosomal and X-linked QTL that underlie measures of hybrid male sterility, including testis weight, sperm density, and sperm morphology. In many cases, the autosomal loci were unique to a specific sterility trait and exhibited an effect only when homozygous, underscoring the importance of examining reproductive barriers beyond the F1 generation. We also found novel two-locus incompatibilities between the M. m. musculus X chromosome and M. m. domesticus autosomal alleles. Our results reveal a complex genetic architecture for hybrid male sterility and suggest a prominent role for reproductive barriers in advanced generations in maintaining subspecies integrity in house mice. PMID:21750261

Genetic dissection of a key reproductive barrier between nascent species of house mice.

PubMed

White, Michael A; Steffy, Brian; Wiltshire, Tim; Payseur, Bret A

2011-09-01

Reproductive isolation between species is often caused by deleterious interactions among loci in hybrids. Finding the genes involved in these incompatibilities provides insight into the mechanisms of speciation. With recently diverged subspecies, house mice provide a powerful system for understanding the genetics of reproductive isolation early in the speciation process. Although previous studies have yielded important clues about the genetics of hybrid male sterility in house mice, they have been restricted to F1 sterility or incompatibilities involving the X chromosome. To provide a more complete characterization of this key reproductive barrier, we conducted an F2 intercross between wild-derived inbred strains from two subspecies of house mice, Mus musculus musculus and Mus musculus domesticus. We identified a suite of autosomal and X-linked QTL that underlie measures of hybrid male sterility, including testis weight, sperm density, and sperm morphology. In many cases, the autosomal loci were unique to a specific sterility trait and exhibited an effect only when homozygous, underscoring the importance of examining reproductive barriers beyond the F1 generation. We also found novel two-locus incompatibilities between the M. m. musculus X chromosome and M. m. domesticus autosomal alleles. Our results reveal a complex genetic architecture for hybrid male sterility and suggest a prominent role for reproductive barriers in advanced generations in maintaining subspecies integrity in house mice.

Of mice and (Viking?) men: phylogeography of British and Irish house mice.

PubMed

Searle, Jeremy B; Jones, Catherine S; Gündüz, Islam; Scascitelli, Moira; Jones, Eleanor P; Herman, Jeremy S; Rambau, R Victor; Noble, Leslie R; Berry, R J; Giménez, Mabel D; Jóhannesdóttir, Fríoa

2009-01-22

The west European subspecies of house mouse (Mus musculus domesticus) has gained much of its current widespread distribution through commensalism with humans. This means that the phylogeography of M. m. domesticus should reflect patterns of human movements. We studied restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) and DNA sequence variations in mouse mitochondrial (mt) DNA throughout the British Isles (328 mice from 105 localities, including previously published data). There is a major mtDNA lineage revealed by both RFLP and sequence analyses, which is restricted to the northern and western peripheries of the British Isles, and also occurs in Norway. This distribution of the 'Orkney' lineage fits well with the sphere of influence of the Norwegian Vikings and was probably generated through inadvertent transport by them. To form viable populations, house mice would have required large human settlements such as the Norwegian Vikings founded. The other parts of the British Isles (essentially most of mainland Britain) are characterized by house mice with different mtDNA sequences, some of which are also found in Germany, and which probably reflect both Iron Age movements of people and mice and earlier development of large human settlements. MtDNA studies on house mice have the potential to reveal novel aspects of human history.

Of mice and (Viking?) men: phylogeography of British and Irish house mice

PubMed Central

Searle, Jeremy B.; Jones, Catherine S.; Gündüz, İslam; Scascitelli, Moira; Jones, Eleanor P.; Herman, Jeremy S.; Rambau, R. Victor; Noble, Leslie R.; Berry, R.J.; Giménez, Mabel D.; Jóhannesdóttir, Fríða

2008-01-01

The west European subspecies of house mouse (Mus musculus domesticus) has gained much of its current widespread distribution through commensalism with humans. This means that the phylogeography of M. m. domesticus should reflect patterns of human movements. We studied restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) and DNA sequence variations in mouse mitochondrial (mt) DNA throughout the British Isles (328 mice from 105 localities, including previously published data). There is a major mtDNA lineage revealed by both RFLP and sequence analyses, which is restricted to the northern and western peripheries of the British Isles, and also occurs in Norway. This distribution of the ‘Orkney’ lineage fits well with the sphere of influence of the Norwegian Vikings and was probably generated through inadvertent transport by them. To form viable populations, house mice would have required large human settlements such as the Norwegian Vikings founded. The other parts of the British Isles (essentially most of mainland Britain) are characterized by house mice with different mtDNA sequences, some of which are also found in Germany, and which probably reflect both Iron Age movements of people and mice and earlier development of large human settlements. MtDNA studies on house mice have the potential to reveal novel aspects of human history. PMID:18826939

Identification of rRNA gene loci in the wild mouse (Mus musculus molossinus) captured at Hachioji, Tokyo.

PubMed

Ito, Tsuyoshi; Osawa, Susumu; Shibata, Hideshi; Kanda, Naotoshi

2007-12-01

Mus musculus (M. m.) molossinus has been considered an independent subspecies of Mus musculus. To elucidate the evolutional origin of this subspecies, we carried out double-color FISH using 18s-28s ribosomal DNA and mouse chromosome paint probes. Among eleven rDNA loci detected, five loci on chromosomes 12, 15, 16, 18 and 19 were common to both Mus musculus (M. m.) musculus and M. m. molossinus and the other six loci, on chromosomes 1, 5, 10, 11, 13 and 17, were characteristic in M. m. molossinus. As M. m. molossinus is thought to originate from a hybrid between ancestral colonies of M. m. musculus and Mus musculus castaneus, we supposed that these six rDNA loci might have evolved after geographical isolation of the ancestral hybrid animals from M. m. musculus and M. m. castaneus.

Development and Application of a Novel Environmental Preference Chamber for Assessing Responses of Laboratory Mice to Atmospheric Ammonia

PubMed Central

Green, Angela R; Wathes, Christopher M; Demmers, Theo GM; Clark, Judy MacArthur; Xin, Hongwei

2008-01-01

A novel environmental preference chamber (EPC) was developed and used to assess responses of laboratory mice to atmospheric ammonia. The EPC features 1) a test chamber with 4 individually ventilated, mutually accessible compartments; b) automated tracking of mouse movements by using paired infrared sensors; c) identification of individual mice by using photosensors; d) monitoring and regulation of the NH3 concentration in each compartment; and e) personal-computer–based data acquisition. In an initial preference study with the EPC, 4 groups of 4 laboratory mice (BALB/c/Bkl; body weight, 13.4 to 18.4 g) were each given a choice among 4 NH3 concentrations (mean ± SE) of 4 ± 2, 30 ± 2, 56 ± 4, and 110 ± 6 ppm for 2 d after a 2-d familiarization period. Once trained to use the intercompartment tunnels, the mice made extensive use of the EPC, with each group making more than 2000 intercompartment movements during 48 h. Video recording verified the results of the automatic tracking system, which detected and correctly determined mouse location for 79% of the moves. The use of photosensors proved to be ineffective in recognizing individual mice. Although the EPC would benefit from refinement and further development, it simplified analysis of locomotion behavioral data. Results of the preference study indicated that the mice exhibited no clear preference for, or aversion to, any of the experimental concentrations of ammonia and that the mice clearly preferred the upper 2 compartments of the chamber over the lower 2 compartments. Further investigation should be conducted to verify these preliminary results and explore other preferences of laboratory mice for environmental conditions and resources. PMID:18351722

General parity between trio and pairwise breeding of laboratory mice in static caging.

PubMed

Kedl, Ross M; Wysocki, Lawrence J; Janssen, William J; Born, Willi K; Rosenbaum, Matthew D; Granowski, Julia; Kench, Jennifer A; Fong, Derek L; Switzer, Lisa A; Cruse, Margaret; Huang, Hua; Jakubzick, Claudia V; Kosmider, Beata; Takeda, Katsuyuki; Stranova, Thomas J; Klumm, Randal C; Delgado, Christine; Tummala, Saigiridhar; De Langhe, Stijn; Cambier, John; Haskins, Katherine; Lenz, Laurel L; Curran-Everett, Douglas

2014-11-15

Changes made in the 8th edition of the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals included new recommendations for the amount of space for breeding female mice. Adopting the new recommendations required, in essence, the elimination of trio breeding practices for all institutions. Both public opinion and published data did not readily support the new recommendations. In response, the National Jewish Health Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee established a program to directly compare the effects of breeding format on mouse pup survival and growth. Our study showed an overall parity between trio and pairwise breeding formats on the survival and growth of the litters, suggesting that the housing recommendations for breeding female mice as stated in the current Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals should be reconsidered. Copyright © 2014 by The American Association of Immunologists, Inc.

Review of CO₂ as a Euthanasia Agent for Laboratory Rats and Mice.

PubMed

Boivin, Gregory P; Hickman, Debra L; Creamer-Hente, Michelle A; Pritchett-Corning, Kathleen R; Bratcher, Natalie A

2017-09-01

Selecting an appropriate, effective euthanasia agent is controversial. Several recent publications provide clarity on the use of CO2 in laboratory rats and mice. This review examines previous studies on CO2 euthanasia and presents the current body of knowledge on the subject. Potential areas for further investigation and recommendations are provided.

Association of FOXD1 variants with adverse pregnancy outcomes in mice and humans

PubMed Central

Laissue, Paul; Lakhal, Besma; Vatin, Magalie; Batista, Frank; Burgio, Gaëtan; Mercier, Eric; Santos, Esther Dos; Buffat, Christophe; Sierra-Diaz, Diana Carolina; Renault, Gilles; Montagutelli, Xavier; Salmon, Jane; Monget, Philippe; Veitia, Reiner A.; Méhats, Céline; Fellous, Marc; Gris, Jean-Christophe; Cocquet, Julie

2016-01-01

Recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA) is a common cause of infertility, but previous attempts at identifying RSA causative genes have been relatively unsuccessful. Such failure to describe RSA aetiological genes might be explained by the fact that reproductive phenotypes should be considered as quantitative traits resulting from the intricate interaction of numerous genetic, epigenetic and environmental factors. Here, we studied an interspecific recombinant congenic strain (IRCS) of Mus musculus from the C57BL6/J strain of mice harbouring an approximate 5 Mb DNA fragment from chromosome 13 from Mus spretus mice (66H-MMU13 strain), with a high rate of embryonic resorption (ER). Transcriptome analyses of endometrial and placental tissues from these mice showed a deregulation of many genes associated with the coagulation and inflammatory response pathways. Bioinformatics approaches led us to select Foxd1 as a candidate gene potentially related to ER and RSA. Sequencing analysis of Foxd1 in the 66H-MMU13 strain, and in 556 women affected by RSA and 271 controls revealed non-synonymous sequence variants. In vitro assays revealed that some led to perturbations in FOXD1 transactivation properties on promoters of genes having key roles during implantation/placentation, suggesting a role of this gene in mammalian implantation processes. PMID:27805902

Fighting in the home cage: Agonistic encounters and effects on neurobiological markers within the social decision-making network of house mice (Mus musculus).

PubMed

Greenberg, Gian D; Howerton, Chris L; Trainor, Brian C

2014-04-30

Inbred strains of mice, such as C57Bl/6, have become preferred animal models for neurobehavioral studies. A main goal in creating inbred lines is to reduce the effects of individual genetic variation on observed phenotypes. Most studies use only males, and there is increasing evidence that agonistic interactions within the home cage may produce systematic variability in behavior and brain function. Previous studies have demonstrated that the outcomes of aggressive interactions have powerful effects on the brain and behavior, but less is known about whether aggressive interactions within the home cage have similar effects. We assessed group-housed laboratory mice C57Bl/6 for competitive ability and then tested the extent high competitive ability (CA) or low CA was related to gene and protein expression within related pathways. We focused on a broad social behavior network, including the nucleus accumbens (NAc) and bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST). High CA mice had significantly more corticotropin releasing hormone receptor 2 (CRHR2) and estrogen receptor alpha (ESR1) mRNA in the BNST. Our data suggest a simple test of CA could yield valuable information that could be used to reduce error variance and increase power in neurobiological studies using mice. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Behavioral assessment of intermittent wheel running and individual housing in mice in the laboratory.

PubMed

Pham, Therese M; Brené, Stefan; Baumans, Vera

2005-01-01

Physical cage enrichment--exercise devices for rodents in the laboratory--often includes running wheels. This study compared responses of mice in enriched physical and social conditions and in standard social conditions to wheel running, individual housing, and open-field test. The study divided into 6 groups, 48 female BALB/c mice group housed in enriched and standard conditions. On alternate days, the study exposed 2 groups to individual running wheel cages. It intermittently separated from their cage mates and housed individually 2 groups with no running wheels; 2 control groups remained in enriched or standard condition cages. There were no significant differences between enriched and standard group housed mice in alternate days' wheel running. Over time, enriched, group housed mice ran less. Both groups responded similarly to individual housing. In open-field test, mice exposed to individual housing without running wheel moved more and faster than wheel running and home cage control mice. They have lower body weights than group housed and wheel running mice. Intermittent withdrawal of individual housing affects the animals more than other commodities. Wheel running normalizes some effects of intermittent separation from the enriched, social home cage.

On the determination of Toxoplasma gondii virulence in mice

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Toxoplasma gondii is one of the most successful pathogens on earth, capable of infecting mammals and birds. Numerous papers and reports are published on isolation of T .gondii from various natural sources worldwide. The house mouse (Mus musculus) has been used as the laboratory animal model to deter...

Evolution of the Iga Heavy Chain Gene in the Genus Mus

PubMed Central

Osborne, B. A.; Golde, T. E.; Schwartz, R. L.; Rudikoff, S.

1988-01-01

To examine questions of immunoglobulin gene evolution, the IgA α heavy chain gene from Mus pahari, an evolutionarily distant relative to Mus musculus domesticus, was cloned and sequenced. The sequence, when compared to the IgA gene of BALB/c or human, demonstrated that the IgA gene is evolving in a mosaic fashion with the hinge region accumulating mutations most rapidly and the third domain at a considerably lower frequency. In spite of this pronounced accumulation of mutations, the hinge region appears to maintain the conformation of a random coil. A marked propensity to accumulate replacement over silent site changes in the coding regions was noted, as was a definite codon bias. The possibility that these two phenomena are interrelated is discussed. PMID:2842228

Analysis of Radiation Impact on White Mice through Radiation Dose Mapping in Medical Physics Laboratory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sutikno, Madnasri; Susilo; Arya Wijayanti, Riza

2016-08-01

A study about X-ray radiation impact on the white mice through radiation dose mapping in Medical Physic Laboratory is already done. The purpose of this research is to determine the minimum distance of radiologist to X-ray instrument through treatment on the white mice. The radiation exposure doses are measured on the some points in the distance from radiation source between 30 cm up to 80 with interval of 30 cm. The impact of radiation exposure on the white mice and the effects of radiation measurement in different directions are investigated. It is founded that minimum distance of radiation worker to radiation source is 180 cm and X-ray has decreased leukocyte number and haemoglobin and has increased thrombocyte number in the blood of white mice.

Environmental temperature affects the dynamics of ingestion in the nectivorous ant Camponotus mus.

PubMed

Falibene, Agustina; Josens, Roxana

2014-12-01

Environmental temperature influences physiology and behavior in animals in general and is particularly determinant in ectotherms. Not least because temperature defines metabolism and body temperature, muscle activity in insects also strongly depends on this factor. Here, we analyzed how environmental temperature influences the dynamics of ingestion due to its effect on the sucking pump muscles in the nectivorous ants Camponotus mus. Feeding behavior and sucking pump activity during sucrose solution ingestion were first recorded in a natural environment in an urban setting throughout the day and in different seasons. Then, controlled temperature experiments were performed in the laboratory. In both situations, feeding time decreased and pumping frequency increased with temperature. However, different pumping frequencies under a same temperature were also observed in different seasons. Besides, in the laboratory, the volume of solution ingested increased with temperature. Consequently, intake rate increased when temperature rose. This change was exclusively promoted by a variation in the pumping frequency while volume taken in per pump contraction was not affected by temperature. In summary, environmental temperature modified the dynamics of ingestion and feeding behavior by directly affecting pumping frequency. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Permanent magnetic field, direct electric field, and infrared to reduce blood glucose level and hepatic function in mus musculus with diabetic mellitus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suhariningsih; Basuki Notobroto, Hari; Winarni, Dwi; Achmad Hussein, Saikhu; Anggono Prijo, Tri

2017-05-01

Blood contains several electrolytes with positive (cation) and negative (anion) ion load. Both electrolytes deliver impulse synergistically adjusting body needs. Those electrolytes give specific effect to external disturbance such as electric, magnetic, even infrared field. A study has been conducted to reduce blood glucose level and liver function, in type 2 Diabetes Mellitus patients, using Biophysics concept which uses combination therapy of permanent magnetic field, electric field, and infrared. This study used 48 healthy mice (mus musculus), male, age 3-4 weeks, with approximately 25-30 g in weight. Mice was fed with lard as high fat diet orally, before Streptozotocin (STZ) induction become diabetic mice. Therapy was conducted by putting mice in a chamber that emits the combination of permanent magnetic field, electric field, and infrared, every day for 1 hour for 28 days. There were 4 combinations of therapy/treatment, namely: (1) permanent magnetic field, direct electric field, and infrared; (2) permanent magnetic field, direct electric field, without infrared; (3) permanent magnetic field, alternating electric field, and infrared; and (4) permanent magnetic field, alternating electric field, without infrared. The results of therapy show that every combination is able to reduce blood glucose level, AST, and ALT. However, the best result is by using combination of permanent magnetic field, direct electric field, and infrared.

Nova Mus 2018 (PNV J11261220-6531086) Is Forming Dust

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Walter, Frederick M.

2018-02-01

Nova Mus 2018 (PNV J11261220-6531086) was discovered by R Kaufman on 2018 Jan 14.486, and reported by P. Schmeer in vsnet-alert 21772. The first detection was 2018 Jan 3.24 (ASAS-SN, reported in the TOCP).

The Evolution of Polymorphic Hybrid Incompatibilities in House Mice.

PubMed

Larson, Erica L; Vanderpool, Dan; Sarver, Brice A J; Callahan, Colin; Keeble, Sara; Provencio, Lorraine P; Kessler, Michael D; Stewart, Vanessa; Nordquist, Erin; Dean, Matthew D; Good, Jeffrey M

2018-04-24

Resolving the mechanistic and genetic bases of reproductive barriers between species is essential to understanding the evolutionary forces that shape speciation. Intrinsic hybrid incompatibilities are often treated as fixed between species, yet there can be considerable variation in the strength of reproductive isolation between populations. The extent and causes of this variation remain poorly understood in most systems. We investigated the genetic basis of variable hybrid male sterility (HMS) between two recently diverged subspecies of house mice, Mus musculus domesticus and M. m. musculus We found that polymorphic HMS has a surprisingly complex genetic basis, with contributions from at least five autosomal loci segregating between two closely related wild-derived strains of M. m. musculus One of the HMS-linked regions on Chromosome 4 also showed extensive introgression among inbred laboratory strains and transmission ratio distortion (TRD) in hybrid crosses. Using additional crosses and whole genome sequencing of sperm pools, we showed that TRD was limited to hybrid crosses and was not due to differences in sperm motility between M. m. musculus strains. Based on these results, we argue that TRD likely reflects additional incompatibilities that reduce hybrid embryonic viability. In some common inbred strains of mice, selection against deleterious interactions appears to have unexpectedly driven introgression at loci involved in epistatic hybrid incompatibilities. The highly variable genetic basis to F1 hybrid incompatibilities between closely related mouse lineages argues that a thorough dissection of reproductive isolation will require much more extensive sampling of natural variation than has been commonly utilized in mice and other model systems. Copyright © 2018, Genetics.

Mus musculus bone fluoride concentration as a useful biomarker for risk assessment of skeletal fluorosis in volcanic areas.

PubMed

Linhares, Diana; Camarinho, Ricardo; Garcia, Patrícia Ventura; Rodrigues, Armindo Dos Santos

2018-08-01

Fluoride is often found in elevated concentrations in volcanic areas due to the release of magmatic fluorine as hydrogen fluorine through volcanic degassing. The exposure to high levels of fluoride can affect the processes of bone formation and resorption causing skeletal fluorosis, a pathology that can easily be mistaken for other skeletal diseases. In this study, we aimed to determine if fluoride concentration in the femoral bone of wild populations of the house mouse (Mus musculus) is a good biomarker of exposure to active volcanic environments naturally enriched in fluoride, allowing their use in biomonitoring programs. The fluoride concentration of the whole femoral bone of 9 mice from Furnas (5 males and 4 females) and 33 mice from Rabo de Peixe (16 males and 17 females) was measured by the potentiometric method with a fluoride ion selective electrode. Fluoride in bones was significantly higher in the mice from Furnas when compared with the mice from Rabo de Peixe (616.5 ± 129.3 μg F/g vs. 253.8 ± 10.5 μg F/g). Accumulation rates were also significantly higher in the mice collected in Furnas when compared with Rabo de Peixe individuals (3.84 ± 0.52 μg F/day vs. 1.22 ± 0.06 μg F/day). The results demonstrate a significant association between exposure to fluoride in the active volcanic environment and fluoride content in bone, revealing that bone fluoride concentration is a suitable biomarker of chronic environmental exposure to fluoride. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Magnetic properties of mixed sulfides MUS/sub 3/ (M = V, Cr, Nb, Ta)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nutsubidze, P.V.; Chechernikov, V.I.; Gracheva, N.V.

1985-08-01

The authors synthesized US/sub 2/ (Beta-US/sub 2/), VS, CrS, NbS, and TaS by the vacuum-thermal method in quartz ampules heated to 1170 degrees K. They homogenized and sintered these samples and remixed and sintered appropriate amounts to form MUS/sub 2/, which crystallizes in a rhombic structure. They studied the magnetic properties of MUS/sub 2/ on a vibration magnetometer in the range 75500 degrees K. The results of their analysis of the magnetic coefficients proved consistent with thermodynamic theory. They present their data in a series of four charts and two tables.

LASP-03: Pharmacokinetics Evaluation in Kras/p53 Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma (PDAC) Mice | Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research

Cancer.gov

The Laboratory Animal Sciences Program will breed 24 KPC mice will be bred with the intent of generating a cohort of 18 animals with confirmed tumor-load matching the following enrollment criteria:female mice are considered eligible for enrollm

A safety study of oral tangeretin and xanthohumol administration to laboratory mice.

PubMed

Vanhoecke, Barbara W; Delporte, Femke; Van Braeckel, Eva; Heyerick, Arne; Depypere, Herman T; Nuytinck, Margareta; De Keukeleire, Denis; Bracke, Marc E

2005-01-01

The detection of molecular targets for flavonoids in cell signalling has opened new perspectives for their application in medicine. Both tangeretin, a citrus methoxyflavone, and xanthohumol, the main prenylated chalcone present in hops (Humulus lupulus L.), act on the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway and await further investigation for administration in vivo. A safety study was designed in laboratory mice orally administered concentrates of purified tangeretin (1 x 10(-4) M) or xanthohumol (5 x 10(-4) M) at libitum for 4 weeks. Blood samples were collected for the analysis of a variety of haematological and biochemical parameters. A reduction of the circulating lymphocyte number was noticed for tangeretin, while all other parameters were unaffected by treatment with either tangeretin or xanthohumol. The parameters encompassed an integrity check of the following tissues and organs: bone marrow, liver, exocrine pancreas, kidneys, muscles, thyroid, ovaries and surrenal cortex. Furthermore, no differences were noted in the metabolism of proteins, lipids, carbohydrates and uric acid, as well as in ion concentrations. All data indicate that oral administration of tangeretin or xanthohumol to laboratory mice does not affect major organ functions and opens the gate for further safety studies in humans.

Stop Stalling: Mus81 Required for Efficient Replication | Center for Cancer Research

Cancer.gov

DNA replication is precisely controlled to ensure that daughter cells receive intact, accurate genetic information. Each segment of DNA must be copied only once, and the rate of replication coordinated genome-wide. Mild replication stress slows DNA synthesis and activates a pathway involving the Mus81 endonuclease, which generates a series of DNA breaks that are rapidly repaired, allowing the cell to avoid activating the S-phase checkpoint and its potentially damaging outcomes of apoptosis or error-prone repair. Mirit Aladjem, Ph.D., of CCR’s Developmental Therapeutics Branch, and her colleagues wondered whether Mus81 also plays a role in regulating the replication rate during growth in the absence of stress.

[The role of metabolic activation of promutagens in the genome destabilization under pheromonal stress in the house mouse (Mus musculus)].

PubMed

Zhuk, A S; Stepchenkova, E I; Dukel'skaia, A V; Daev, E V; Inge-Vechtomov, S G

2011-10-01

The hypothesis on a relationship between the high frequency of mitotic disturbances in bone marrow cells and the change in the activity of the S9 liver fraction containing promutagen-activating enzymes under olfactory stress in the house mouse Mus musculus has been tested. For this purpose, the effect of the pheromone 2,5-dimethylpyrazine on the frequency of mitotic disturbances in mouse bone marrow cells has been measured by the anaphase-telophase assay. The Ames test using Salmonella typhimurium has been employed to compare the capacities of the S9 liver fractions from stressed and intact mice for activating the promutagen 2-aminofluorene. It has been demonstrated that the increased frequency of mitotic disturbances in bone marrow cells induced by the pheromonal stressor in male house mice is accompanied by an increased promutagen-activating capacity of the S9 liver fraction. The model system used in the study allowed the genetic consequences of the exposure to the olfactory stressor to be estimated and the possible mechanisms of genome destabilization to be assumed.

Cage-induced stereotypies in female ICR CD-1 mice do not correlate with recurrent perseveration.

PubMed

Gross, Alexandra N; Engel, A Katarina J; Richter, S Helene; Garner, Joseph P; Würbel, Hanno

2011-01-20

Stereotypies are repetitive, unvarying, apparently purposeless behavioural patterns. They develop in animals kept in barren environments and are highly prevalent in laboratory mice (Mus musculus), yet their underlying mechanisms have remained elusive. In humans, stereotypies are associated with several psychiatric disorders and are thought to reflect dysfunction of inhibition of motor programs mediated by the corticostriatal circuitry, resulting in recurrent perseveration (=inappropriate repetition of behavioural responses). Several studies in captive animals of different species have reported a correlation between stereotypy performance and perseverative behaviour, indicating a similar dysfunction. To examine whether stereotypies in mice correlate with recurrent perseveration and whether they are causally related, we raised 40 female ICR CD-1 mice in either barren or enriched cages from three to either six or 16 weeks of age (2 × 2 factorial design) and assessed stereotypic behaviour in the home cage and recurrent perseveration on a two-choice guessing task. Enrichment significantly reduced stereotypic behaviour both at six and 16 weeks of age and recurrent perseveration increased with age. Although enriched housing reduced the number of repetitions in the guessing task significantly, there was no clear evidence for an effect on recurrent perseveration, and recurrent perseveration did not correlate positively with stereotypy level. These findings indicate either that this test did not measure recurrent perseveration or that cage stereotypies in these mice do not reflect behavioural disinhibition as measured by recurrent perseveration. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Review of CO2 as a Euthanasia Agent for Laboratory Rats and Mice

PubMed Central

Boivin, Gregory P; Hickman, Debra L; Creamer-Hente, Michelle A; Pritchett-Corning, Kathleen R; Bratcher, Natalie A

2017-01-01

Selecting an appropriate, effective euthanasia agent is controversial. Several recent publications provide clarity on the use of CO2 in laboratory rats and mice. This review examines previous studies on CO2 euthanasia and presents the current body of knowledge on the subject. Potential areas for further investigation and recommendations are provided. PMID:28903819

Laboratory Mice Are Frequently Colonized with Staphylococcus aureus and Mount a Systemic Immune Response-Note of Caution for In vivo Infection Experiments.

PubMed

Schulz, Daniel; Grumann, Dorothee; Trübe, Patricia; Pritchett-Corning, Kathleen; Johnson, Sarah; Reppschläger, Kevin; Gumz, Janine; Sundaramoorthy, Nandakumar; Michalik, Stephan; Berg, Sabine; van den Brandt, Jens; Fister, Richard; Monecke, Stefan; Uy, Benedict; Schmidt, Frank; Bröker, Barbara M; Wiles, Siouxsie; Holtfreter, Silva

2017-01-01

Whether mice are an appropriate model for S. aureus infection and vaccination studies is a matter of debate, because they are not considered as natural hosts of S. aureus . We previously identified a mouse-adapted S. aureus strain, which caused infections in laboratory mice. This raised the question whether laboratory mice are commonly colonized with S. aureus and whether this might impact on infection experiments. Publicly available health reports from commercial vendors revealed that S. aureus colonization is rather frequent, with rates as high as 21% among specific-pathogen-free mice. In animal facilities, S. aureus was readily transmitted from parents to offspring, which became persistently colonized. Among 99 murine S. aureus isolates from Charles River Laboratories half belonged to the lineage CC88 (54.5%), followed by CC15, CC5, CC188, and CC8. A comparison of human and murine S. aureus isolates revealed features of host adaptation. In detail, murine strains lacked hlb -converting phages and superantigen-encoding mobile genetic elements, and were frequently ampicillin-sensitive. Moreover, murine CC88 isolates coagulated mouse plasma faster than human CC88 isolates. Importantly, S. aureus colonization clearly primed the murine immune system, inducing a systemic IgG response specific for numerous S. aureus proteins, including several vaccine candidates. Phospholipase C emerged as a promising test antigen for monitoring S. aureus colonization in laboratory mice. In conclusion, laboratory mice are natural hosts of S. aureus and therefore, could provide better infection models than previously assumed. Pre-exposure to the bacteria is a possible confounder in S. aureus infection and vaccination studies and should be monitored.

Laboratory Mice Are Frequently Colonized with Staphylococcus aureus and Mount a Systemic Immune Response—Note of Caution for In vivo Infection Experiments

PubMed Central

Schulz, Daniel; Grumann, Dorothee; Trübe, Patricia; Pritchett-Corning, Kathleen; Johnson, Sarah; Reppschläger, Kevin; Gumz, Janine; Sundaramoorthy, Nandakumar; Michalik, Stephan; Berg, Sabine; van den Brandt, Jens; Fister, Richard; Monecke, Stefan; Uy, Benedict; Schmidt, Frank; Bröker, Barbara M.; Wiles, Siouxsie; Holtfreter, Silva

2017-01-01

Whether mice are an appropriate model for S. aureus infection and vaccination studies is a matter of debate, because they are not considered as natural hosts of S. aureus. We previously identified a mouse-adapted S. aureus strain, which caused infections in laboratory mice. This raised the question whether laboratory mice are commonly colonized with S. aureus and whether this might impact on infection experiments. Publicly available health reports from commercial vendors revealed that S. aureus colonization is rather frequent, with rates as high as 21% among specific-pathogen-free mice. In animal facilities, S. aureus was readily transmitted from parents to offspring, which became persistently colonized. Among 99 murine S. aureus isolates from Charles River Laboratories half belonged to the lineage CC88 (54.5%), followed by CC15, CC5, CC188, and CC8. A comparison of human and murine S. aureus isolates revealed features of host adaptation. In detail, murine strains lacked hlb-converting phages and superantigen-encoding mobile genetic elements, and were frequently ampicillin-sensitive. Moreover, murine CC88 isolates coagulated mouse plasma faster than human CC88 isolates. Importantly, S. aureus colonization clearly primed the murine immune system, inducing a systemic IgG response specific for numerous S. aureus proteins, including several vaccine candidates. Phospholipase C emerged as a promising test antigen for monitoring S. aureus colonization in laboratory mice. In conclusion, laboratory mice are natural hosts of S. aureus and therefore, could provide better infection models than previously assumed. Pre-exposure to the bacteria is a possible confounder in S. aureus infection and vaccination studies and should be monitored. PMID:28512627

VKOR variant and sex are the main influencing factors on bromadiolone tolerance of the house mouse (Mus musculus L.).

PubMed

Šćepović, Tanja; Jokić, Goran; Esther, Alexandra; Kataranovski, Dragan; Vukša, Petar; Đedović, Suzana; Vukša, Marina

2016-03-01

After reports of management problems in practice, a survey was conducted to determine the presence of bromadiolone-resistant animals in different house mouse (Mus musculus L.) populations in Serbia. A 21 day no-choice feeding test was carried out to examine the resistance of house mice to bromadiolone. Eighty house mice collected from four locations (ten males and ten females per location) were tested for bromadiolone tolerance. Surviving animals and their F1 offspring were screened for mutations. The influence of VKOR variant, zygosity and sex on bromadiolone tolerance was analysed. Bait intake and changes in body weight revealed different animal responses regarding susceptibility or resistance. Leu128Ser, Tyr139Cys and a new Ala21Thr polymorphism were detected in wild-born survivors and their F1 generation. However, not every individual with the polymorphisms Leu128Ser and Tyr139Cys survived the feeding test. VKOR variants and sex caused variations in bromadiolone tolerance. For the first time it was shown that the VKOR variant, along with sex, is responsible for bromadiolone tolerance in house mice. Other factors influencing bromadiolone tolerance, including sex-specific factors, cannot be excluded. The tolerance levels of VKOR variants should be determined in further studies in order to evaluate the effectiveness of bromadiolone in sustainable management. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry.

A subset of skin tumor modifier loci determines survival time of tumor-bearing mice

PubMed Central

Nagase, Hiroki; Mao, Jian-Hua; Balmain, Allan

1999-01-01

Studies of mouse models of human cancer have established the existence of multiple tumor modifiers that influence parameters of cancer susceptibility such as tumor multiplicity, tumor size, or the probability of malignant progression. We have carried out an analysis of skin tumor susceptibility in interspecific Mus musculus/Mus spretus hybrid mice and have identified another seven loci showing either significant (six loci) or suggestive (one locus) linkage to tumor susceptibility or resistance. A specific search was carried out for skin tumor modifier loci associated with time of survival after development of a malignant tumor. A combination of resistance alleles at three markers [D6Mit15 (Skts12), D7Mit12 (Skts2), and D17Mit7 (Skts10)], all of which are close to or the same as loci associated with carcinoma incidence and/or papilloma multiplicity, is significantly associated with increased survival of mice with carcinomas, whereas the reverse combination of susceptibility alleles is significantly linked to early mortality caused by rapid carcinoma growth (χ2 = 25.22; P = 5.1 × 10−8). These data indicate that host genetic factors may be used to predict carcinoma growth rate and/or survival of individual backcross mice exposed to the same carcinogenic stimulus and suggest that mouse models may provide an approach to the identification of genetic modifiers of cancer survival in humans. PMID:10611333

Mus81 and Yen1 promote reciprocal exchange during mitotic recombination to maintain genome integrity in budding yeast

PubMed Central

Ho, Chu Kwen; Mazón, Gerard; Lam, Alicia F.; Symington, Lorraine S.

2010-01-01

Holliday junction (HJ) resolution is required for segregation of chromosomes and for formation of crossovers during homologous recombination. The identity of the resolvase(s) that functions in vivo has yet to be established, although several proteins able to cut HJs in vitro have been identified as candidates in yeasts and mammals. Using an assay to detect unselected products of mitotic recombination we found a significant decrease in crossovers in the Saccharomyces cerevisiae mus81Δ mutant. Yen1 serves a back-up function responsible for resolving intermediates in mus81Δ mutants, or when conversion tracts are short. In the absence of both Mus81 and Yen1 intermediates are not channeled exclusively to non-crossover recombinants, but instead are processed by Pol32-dependent break-induced replication (BIR). The channeling of recombination from reciprocal exchange to BIR results in greatly increased spontaneous loss of heterozygosity (LOH) and chromosome mis-segregation in the mus81Δ yen1Δ mutant, typical of the genomic instability found in tumor cells. PMID:21172663

Direct calorimetry identifies deficiencies in respirometry for the determination of resting metabolic rate in C57Bl/6 and FVB mice

PubMed Central

Burnett, Colin M. L.

2013-01-01

Substantial research efforts have been aimed at identifying novel targets to increase resting metabolic rate (RMR) as an adjunct approach to the treatment of obesity. Respirometry (one form of “indirect calorimetry”) is unquestionably the dominant technique used in the obesity research field to assess RMR in vivo, although this method relies upon a lengthy list of assumptions that are likely to be violated in pharmacologically or genetically manipulated animals. A “total” calorimeter, including a gradient layer direct calorimeter coupled to a conventional respirometer, was used to test the accuracy of respirometric-based estimations of RMR in laboratory mice (Mus musculus Linnaeus) of the C57Bl/6 and FVB background strains. Using this combined calorimeter, we determined that respirometry underestimates RMR of untreated 9- to 12-wk-old male mice by ∼10–12%. Quantitative and qualitative differences resulted between methods for untreated C57Bl/6 and FVB mice, C57Bl/6 mice treated with ketamine-xylazine anesthesia, and FVB mice with genetic deletion of the angiotensin II type 2 receptor. We conclude that respirometric methods underestimate RMR in mice in a magnitude that is similar to or greater than the desired RMR effects of novel therapeutics. Sole reliance upon respirometry to assess RMR in mice may lead to false quantitative and qualitative conclusions regarding the effects of novel interventions. Increased use of direct calorimetry for the assessment of RMR and confirmation of respirometry results and the reexamination of previously discarded potential obesity therapeutics are warranted. PMID:23964071

Seasonal variation of the impact of a stressful procedure on open field behaviour and blood corticosterone in laboratory mice.

PubMed

Meyer, L; Caston, J; Mensah-Nyagan, A G

2006-02-28

Behavioural and hormonal seasonal changes are well documented in various vertebrate species living in their natural environment but circannual variations that may occur in laboratory animals reared in standard conditions are poorly investigated. This study shows that, in laboratory mice, the effects of stress on behavioural inhibition, investigatory behaviour and blood concentration of corticosterone are seasonally dependent. No consistency was observed between the reactivity of biological structures controlling the hormonal response to stress and the behavioural activities investigated at every period of the year. During the spring time, stress, which elicited a decrease of investigatory behaviour (estimated by the walking time in an open field), increased behavioural inhibition (estimated by the percentage of walking in the central area of the open field) as well as the blood corticosterone concentration in laboratory mice. In autumn, stress had no significant effect on behaviour despite the great hormonal concentration increase. The results reveal that, at certain period of the year, a stressful procedure is unable to affect behavioural parameters in laboratory mice which were maintained in constant 12-h dark/12-h light cycle. The report constitutes a novel piece of information suggesting a potential role of the endogenous biological clock in the modulation of stress response in mammals.

Contact zone between chromosomal races of Mus musculus domesticus. 2. Fertility and segregation in laboratory-reared and wild mice heterozygous for multiple robertsonian rearrangements.

PubMed

Castiglia, R; Capanna, E

2000-08-01

Litter size, anaphase I nondisjunction and X-Y dissociation at metaphase I were studied in homozygous and heterozygous house mice from a central Italian chromosomal hybrid zone between the CD (2n=22) race and the standard race (2n=40). We also observed the segregation of the two chromosomal forms (Robertsonian and non-Robertsonian) in male and female multiple heterozygotes from the karyotype of their offspring and chromosomal arm counts of metaphase II. Litter size was significantly reduced in the F1 hybrids, but there was no difference in litter size between male and female F1s. Fertility in wild mice decreased with increasing numbers of structural heterozygosities (0-5). Some metacentrics appear to be under meiotic drive but there was no rule as to which of the two forms was favoured in backcrosses. An original observation of a negative correlation between the length of metacentrics and transmission rate was described in hybrids. Slight cosegregation of chromosomes with a similar morphology was present in the progeny of males and females. These observations are discussed in relation to the stability of this hybrid zone through time.

The effect of handling method on the mouse grimace scale in two strains of laboratory mice

PubMed Central

Leach, Matthew C

2015-01-01

Pain assessment in laboratory animals is an ethical and legal requirement. The mouse grimace scale (MGS) is a new method of pain assessment deemed to be both accurate and reliable, and observers can be rapidly trained to use it. In order for a new pain assessment technique to be effective, we must ensure that the score awarded by the technique is only influenced by pain and not by other husbandry or non-painful but integral aspects of research protocols. Here, we studied 16 male mice, housed under standard laboratory conditions. Eight mice were randomly assigned to tail handling and eight to tube handling on arrival at the unit. On each occasion the mice were removed from their cage for routine husbandry, they were picked up using their assigned handling method. Photographs of the mouse faces were then scored by treatment-blind observers as per the MGS manual (see Nature Methods 2010, Vol. 7, pp 447–449), and scores from the two groups were compared. There was no significant difference in MGS scores between the mice that had been handled using a tube compared with the tail. Consequently, these methods of handling did not influence the baseline grimace score given, suggesting that these handling techniques are not confounding factors when establishing baseline MGS scores, further validating this technique. PMID:26657061

The effect of handling method on the mouse grimace scale in two strains of laboratory mice.

PubMed

Miller, Amy L; Leach, Matthew C

2016-08-01

Pain assessment in laboratory animals is an ethical and legal requirement. The mouse grimace scale (MGS) is a new method of pain assessment deemed to be both accurate and reliable, and observers can be rapidly trained to use it. In order for a new pain assessment technique to be effective, we must ensure that the score awarded by the technique is only influenced by pain and not by other husbandry or non-painful but integral aspects of research protocols. Here, we studied 16 male mice, housed under standard laboratory conditions. Eight mice were randomly assigned to tail handling and eight to tube handling on arrival at the unit. On each occasion the mice were removed from their cage for routine husbandry, they were picked up using their assigned handling method. Photographs of the mouse faces were then scored by treatment-blind observers as per the MGS manual (see Nature Methods 2010, Vol. 7, pp 447-449), and scores from the two groups were compared. There was no significant difference in MGS scores between the mice that had been handled using a tube compared with the tail. Consequently, these methods of handling did not influence the baseline grimace score given, suggesting that these handling techniques are not confounding factors when establishing baseline MGS scores, further validating this technique. © The Author(s) 2015.

Algorithm for Automatic Behavior Quantification of Laboratory Mice Using High-Frame-Rate Videos

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nie, Yuman; Takaki, Takeshi; Ishii, Idaku; Matsuda, Hiroshi

In this paper, we propose an algorithm for automatic behavior quantification in laboratory mice to quantify several model behaviors. The algorithm can detect repetitive motions of the fore- or hind-limbs at several or dozens of hertz, which are too rapid for the naked eye, from high-frame-rate video images. Multiple repetitive motions can always be identified from periodic frame-differential image features in four segmented regions — the head, left side, right side, and tail. Even when a mouse changes its posture and orientation relative to the camera, these features can still be extracted from the shift- and orientation-invariant shape of the mouse silhouette by using the polar coordinate system and adjusting the angle coordinate according to the head and tail positions. The effectiveness of the algorithm is evaluated by analyzing long-term 240-fps videos of four laboratory mice for six typical model behaviors: moving, rearing, immobility, head grooming, left-side scratching, and right-side scratching. The time durations for the model behaviors determined by the algorithm have detection/correction ratios greater than 80% for all the model behaviors. This shows good quantification results for actual animal testing.

Lack of genotoxic potential of pesticides, spinosad, imidacloprid and neem oil in mice (Mus musculus).

PubMed

Saxena, Ankita; Kesari, V P

2016-03-01

Pesticides, spinosad, imidacloprid and neem oil are widely used both in residential and agricultural environments because of its broad spectrum insecticidal activity and effectiveness. The present study was undertaken to estimate genotoxicity of formulations of some pesticides in mice. Three pesticides of diverse group studied were spinosad (45% w/v), imidacloprid (17.8%, w/v) and neem oil. Animals were exposed 37, 4.5 and 50 mg kg⁻¹ b.wt. for spinosad, imidacloprid and neem oil, respectively, through oral gavage for 5 consecutive days. A vehicle control group and one positive control (cyclophosphamide; 20 mg kg⁻¹ b. wt.) were also selected. The results showed that cyclophosphamide produced 1.12% micronuclei in mice, as against 0.18 in vehicle control, 0.30 in spinosad, 0.28 in imidacloprid and 0.22% in neem oil, respectively. The gross percentage of chromosomal aberration in mice were 28.5% in cyclophosphamide against 6.5% in vehicle control, 8.0% in spinosad, 9.5% in imidacloprid and 7.0% in neem oil, respectively. The overall findings of the present study revealed that all the three pesticide formulations, imidacloprid, spinosad and neem oil at tested dose did not show any genotoxic effect in mice.

Effect of administering black cumin (Nigella sativa) toward postpartum mice (MusMusculus L.)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Imelda, F.; Darti, N. A.

2018-03-01

The period of childbirth is a period for the health provider monitoring that less monitoring can cause the mother to suffer a variety of problemsandcomplications during childbirth such as post-partum infections. This type of research was an experimental group P0: control group, treatment groups by administering Nigella sativa P1:2.6mg/day, P2:3.9mg/day, P3:5.2mg/day, and P4:6.5mg/day, which each group 5 samples. The average amount of leukocytes after given Nigella sativa 2.6mg/day for seven days (P1) which was 7:10±0:57 (x103cells/mm3), and at least in female mice after given Nigella sativa 6.5mg/day for sevendays (P4) which was 6.62±0.52 (x103cells/mm3). The average amount lymphocytes after given Nigella sativa 2.6mg/day for seven days (P1) which was 63.40±4.77 (x103cells/mm3), and least in female mice after given Nigella sativa 3.9 mg/day for seven days (P3) which was 47.00±14:58 (x103cells/mm3). Amount of monocytes after given Nigella sativa 5.2mg/day for seven days (P3) which was 5.40±0.55 (x103cells/mm3), and least in female mice after given Nigella sativa 2.6mg/day for seven days (P1) which was 4.80±1.30 (x103cells/mm3).

Board of Regents' Montana University System (MUS) Strategic Plan 2016

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Montana University System, 2016

2016-01-01

The Montana University System Strategic Plan is the primary planning document of the Board of Regents. The Plan sets forth an agenda for higher education in Montana by delineating the strategic directions, goals, and objectives that guide the Montana University System (MUS). In July 2006, after several years of study, public dialogue, and internal…

Application of Mouse Models to Research in Hearing and Balance.

PubMed

Ohlemiller, Kevin K; Jones, Sherri M; Johnson, Kenneth R

2016-12-01

Laboratory mice (Mus musculus) have become the major model species for inner ear research. The major uses of mice include gene discovery, characterization, and confirmation. Every application of mice is founded on assumptions about what mice represent and how the information gained may be generalized. A host of successes support the continued use of mice to understand hearing and balance. Depending on the research question, however, some mouse models and research designs will be more appropriate than others. Here, we recount some of the history and successes of the use of mice in hearing and vestibular studies and offer guidelines to those considering how to apply mouse models.

Twilight and photoperiod affect behavioral entrainment in the house mouse (Mus musculus).

PubMed

Comas, M; Hut, R A

2009-10-01

The effect of twilight transitions on entrainment of C57BL/6JOlaHsd mice (Mus musculus) was studied using light-dark cycles of different photoperiods (6, 12, and 18 h) and twilight transitions of different durations (0, 1, and 2 h). Phase angle differences of the onset, center of gravity, and offset of activity, activity duration (alpha), as well as free-running period (tau) in continuous darkness were analyzed. The main finding was that for all conditions the onset of activity was close to dusk or lights-off except for the short photoperiod with 2 h of twilight where activity onset was on average 5.3 (SEM 1.07) h after lights-off. This finding contrasts with the results of Boulos and Macchi for Syrian hamsters where a 5.9-h earlier activity onset was observed when similar photoperiod and twilight conditions are compared with a rectangular LD cycle. The authors suggest the opposite effects of 2 h of twilight in the 2 species may be related to their different free-running periods under DD conditions following entrainment to short photoperiod with 2-h twilight conditions. Since the authors observed larger variation in phase angle of entrainment in longer twilight conditions, twilight does not necessarily form a stronger zeitgeber.

Peculiarities of hemoglobin interaction with serum proteins of mice with Ehrlich carcinoma.

PubMed

Sitdikova, S M; Amandzholov, B S; Serebryakova, M V; Zhdanovich, M Yu; Kiselevskii, M V; Donenko, F V

2006-05-01

In male C57Bl/6 mice with transplanted Ehrlich carcinoma, hemoglobin forms a complex with serum proteins characterized by a molecular weight of about 300 kDa. The complex incorporates proteins weighing 100, 68, 65, and 15 kDa identified by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry as haptoglobin, serum albumin, gi/26341396 nameless protein Mus musculus, and alpha-hemoglobin, respectively. This complex can possess biological activity and contribute to the control of tumor growth.

COMPETITIVE ABILITY IN MALE HOUSE MICE (Mus musculus): GENETIC INFLUENCES

PubMed Central

Cunningham, Christopher B.; Ruff, James S.; Chase, Kevin; Potts, Wayne K.; Carrier, David R.

2013-01-01

Conspecifics of many animal species physically compete to gain reproductive resources and thus fitness. Despite the importance of competitive ability across the animal kingdom, specific traits that influence or underpin competitive ability are poorly characterized. Here, we investigate whether there are genetic influences on competitive ability within male house mice. Additionally, we examined if litter demographics (litter size and litter sex ratio) influence competitive ability. We phenotyped two generations for a male s ability to possess a reproductive resource--a prime nesting site--using semi-natural enclosures with mixed sex groupings. We used the animal model coupled with an extensive pedigree to estimate several genetic parameters. Competitive ability was found to be highly heritable, but only displayed a moderate genetic correlation to body mass. Interestingly, litter sex ratio had a weak negative influence on competitive ability. Litter size had no significant influence on competitive ability. Our study also highlights how much remians unknown about the proximal causes of competitive ability. PMID:23291957

Effect of ethanolic Neem (Azadirachta indica) leaf extract as an herb contraceptive on Hepato-somatic Index of the male mice (Mus musculus)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Janika Sitasiwi, Agung; Isdadiyanto, Sri; Muflichatun Mardiati, Siti

2018-05-01

Neem has been known as herb contraceptive plant which shows an antifertility effect both in male and female rats. The anti-fertility compound of Neem has the same potencies to interfere with or affect the function of several organs. The Hepato-somatic index (HSI) reflects the value of toxic compounds that enter the animal body also. HSI values can also be used to assess animal health levels. A study to examine the effect of ethanolic extract of Neem as an herb contraceptive to the hepato-somatic index of male mice has been done. Neem leaf was collected from the campus area, dried, mashed then extracted with ethanol 70%. Mature male Swiss Webster mice with 25-30 grams in weight were used as laboratory animals. Mice were divided into 4 groups: P0 (given distilled water), P1, P2, and P3 were given Neem leaf extract with 8.4, 11.2 and 14 mg/KgBW/day respectively. Each treatment group had six replications. Treatment was given orally for 21 days. The body weight was measured every week until the end of treatment. The mice were anesthetized with chloroform at the end of treatment, continued by dissecting and isolating liver isolation. The isolated liver is then weighed to determine the HSI value. Data were analyzed with ANOVA followed by DMRT test. The results showed that the body weight of control group showed a significant difference (p<0.05) to the treatment group. The hepatic weights and HSI values of the control group showed nonsignificant differences (p>0.05) with the P1 and P2 treatment groups but showed a significant difference (p<0.05) with the P3 treatment group. It can be concluded that the exposure of ethanolic Neem leaves extract as herb contraceptive affects liver function which causes the increase of hepatic weight and HSI value.

Illumination of Murine Gammaherpesvirus-68 Cycle Reveals a Sexual Transmission Route from Females to Males in Laboratory Mice

PubMed Central

François, Sylvie; Vidick, Sarah; Sarlet, Mickaël; Desmecht, Daniel; Drion, Pierre; Stevenson, Philip G.; Vanderplasschen, Alain; Gillet, Laurent

2013-01-01

Transmission is a matter of life or death for pathogen lineages and can therefore be considered as the main motor of their evolution. Gammaherpesviruses are archetypal pathogenic persistent viruses which have evolved to be transmitted in presence of specific immune response. Identifying their mode of transmission and their mechanisms of immune evasion is therefore essential to develop prophylactic and therapeutic strategies against these infections. As the known human gammaherpesviruses, Epstein-Barr virus and Kaposi's Sarcoma-associated Herpesvirus are host-specific and lack a convenient in vivo infection model; related animal gammaherpesviruses, such as murine gammaherpesvirus-68 (MHV-68), are commonly used as general models of gammaherpesvirus infections in vivo. To date, it has however never been possible to monitor viral excretion or virus transmission of MHV-68 in laboratory mice population. In this study, we have used MHV-68 associated with global luciferase imaging to investigate potential excretion sites of this virus in laboratory mice. This allowed us to identify a genital excretion site of MHV-68 following intranasal infection and latency establishment in female mice. This excretion occurred at the external border of the vagina and was dependent on the presence of estrogens. However, MHV-68 vaginal excretion was not associated with vertical transmission to the litter or with horizontal transmission to female mice. In contrast, we observed efficient virus transmission to naïve males after sexual contact. In vivo imaging allowed us to show that MHV-68 firstly replicated in penis epithelium and corpus cavernosum before spreading to draining lymph nodes and spleen. All together, those results revealed the first experimental transmission model for MHV-68 in laboratory mice. In the future, this model could help us to better understand the biology of gammaherpesviruses and could also allow the development of strategies that could prevent the spread of these

Clinical Chemistry Reference Intervals for C57BL/6J, C57BL/6N, and C3HeB/FeJ Mice (Mus musculus)

PubMed Central

Otto, Gordon P; Rathkolb, Birgit; Oestereicher, Manuela A; Lengger, Christoph J; Moerth, Corinna; Micklich, Kateryna; Fuchs, Helmut; Gailus-Durner, Valérie; Wolf, Eckhard; de Angelis, Martin Hrabě

2016-01-01

Although various mouse inbred strains are widely used to investigate disease mechanisms and to establish new therapeutic strategies, sex-specific reference intervals for laboratory diagnostic analytes that are generated from large numbers of animals have been unavailable. In this retrospective study, we screened data from more than 12,000 mice phenotyped in the German Mouse Clinic from January 2006 through June 2014 and selected animals with the genetic background of C57BL/6J, C57BL/6N, or C3HeB/FeJ. In addition, we distinguished between the C57BL/6NTac substrain and C57BL/6N mice received from other vendors. The corresponding data sets of electrolytes (sodium, potassium, calcium, chloride, inorganic phosphate), lipids (cholesterol, triglyceride), and enzyme activities (ALT, AST, ALP, α-amylase) and urea, albumin, and total protein levels were analyzed. Significant effects of age and sex on these analytes were identified, and strain- or substrain- and sex-specific reference intervals for 90- to 135-d-old mice were calculated. In addition, we include an overview of the literature that reports clinical chemistry values for wild-type mice of different strains. Our results support researchers interpreting clinical chemistry values from various mouse mutants and corresponding wild-type controls based on the examined strains and substrains. PMID:27423143

Clinical Chemistry Reference Intervals for C57BL/6J, C57BL/6N, and C3HeB/FeJ Mice (Mus musculus).

PubMed

Otto, Gordon P; Rathkolb, Birgit; Oestereicher, Manuela A; Lengger, Christoph J; Moerth, Corinna; Micklich, Kateryna; Fuchs, Helmut; Gailus-Durner, Valérie; Wolf, Eckhard; Hrabě de Angelis, Martin

2016-01-01

Although various mouse inbred strains are widely used to investigate disease mechanisms and to establish new therapeutic strategies, sex-specific reference intervals for laboratory diagnostic analytes that are generated from large numbers of animals have been unavailable. In this retrospective study, we screened data from more than 12,000 mice phenotyped in the German Mouse Clinic from January 2006 through June 2014 and selected animals with the genetic background of C57BL/6J, C57BL/6N, or C3HeB/FeJ. In addition, we distinguished between the C57BL/6NTac substrain and C57BL/6N mice received from other vendors. The corresponding data sets of electrolytes (sodium, potassium, calcium, chloride, inorganic phosphate), lipids (cholesterol, triglyceride), and enzyme activities (ALT, AST, ALP, α-amylase) and urea, albumin, and total protein levels were analyzed. Significant effects of age and sex on these analytes were identified, and strain- or substrain- and sex-specific reference intervals for 90- to 135-d-old mice were calculated. In addition, we include an overview of the literature that reports clinical chemistry values for wild-type mice of different strains. Our results support researchers interpreting clinical chemistry values from various mouse mutants and corresponding wild-type controls based on the examined strains and substrains.

Food wasting by house mice: variation among individuals, families, and genetic lines.

PubMed

Koteja, Paweł; Carter, Patrick A; Swallow, John G; Garland, Theodore

2003-11-01

Under ad libitum conditions, laboratory house mice (Mus domesticus) fragment considerable amounts of pelleted food and leave it scattered in their cages. The proportion of food thus wasted (in relation to food eaten) varies remarkably among individuals, from 2% to 40%, but is highly consistent in consecutive trials, even when the mice were moved from 22 to -10 degrees C and food consumption doubled. Food wasting did not differ either between the sexes or between genetic lines that had been selected (10 generations) for high voluntary wheel-running behavior (n=4) and their unselected control lines (n=4). However, it varied significantly among replicate lines within the selection groups and among families within the lines (coefficient of intraclass correlation for full sibs, rhof=0.41 in room temperature trials and rhof=0.34 in cold trials). Moreover, the percent of food wasted was negatively correlated with food consumption in the cold trials (males: r=-.36, females: r=-.20) and with total litter mass at weaning (the litters into which they were born; r=-.24), two traits that may affect Darwinian fitness. We conclude that food wastage should not be ignored without justification in calculations of food consumption. In addition, "table manners" can convey reliable information about family origin of an individual and its quality, and therefore could potentially play a role in establishment of social status.

Aneuploidy in the embryonic progeny of females heterozygous for the Robertsonian chromosome (9.12) in genetically wild Peru-Coppock mice (Mus musculus).

PubMed

Harris, M J; Wallace, M E; Evans, E P

1986-01-01

The spontaneous appearance of a Robertsonian translocation in a laboratory colony of genetically wild Peru-Coppock mice gave the opportunity to study potential meiotic nondisjunction soon after the formation of the new chromosome and also in a hitherto untested combination of genotype and environment Metaphase II scores from the progenitor male had indicated a nondisjunction rate of approximately 10%, a figure that was confirmed by the finding of an estimated 12-16% total trisomic and probable monosomic zygotes in chromosomal studies of Day 9 embryos from heterozygous females. The chromosome studies also showed the presence of a significant excess of normal embryos that were heterozygous for the Robertsonian chromosome.

Specificity in Sociality: Mice and Prairie Voles Exhibit Different Patterns of Peer Affiliation

PubMed Central

Beery, Annaliese K.; Christensen, Jennifer D; Lee, Nicole S.; Blandino, Katrina L.

2018-01-01

Social behavior is often described as a unified concept, but highly social (group-living) species exhibit distinct social structures and may make different social decisions. Prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster) are socially monogamous rodents that often reside in extended family groups, and exhibit robust preferences for familiar social partners (same- and opposite-sex) during extended choice tests, although short-term preferences are not known. Mice (Mus musculus) are gregarious and colonial, but in brief laboratory tests of social preference they typically prefer social novelty. This preference for novel vs. familiar peers may represent a species-specific difference in social decision-making between mice and prairie voles. However, the tests used to measure preferences in each species differ markedly in duration and degree of contact, such that the behaviors cannot be directly compared. We assessed whether social preferences for novelty or familiarity differed between mice and prairie voles of both sexes when assessed with matching protocols: the sociability/social preference test (SPT) typically used in mice (short, no direct contact), and the partner preference test (PPT) used in voles (long, direct contact). A subset of voles also underwent a PPT using barriers (long, no direct contact). In the short SPT, behavior did not differ between species. In the longer test, pronounced partner preferences emerged in prairie voles, but mice exhibited no social preferences and rarely huddled. No sex differences were evident in either test. Direct physical contact was required for partner preferences in huddling time in voles, but preference for the partner chamber was evident with or without contact. Both prairie voles and mice are social, but they exhibit important differences in the specificity and extent of their social behavior. While mice are often used to study social approach and other behaviors, voles are a more suitable species for the study of selective social

The MusIC method: a fast and quasi-optimal solution to the muscle forces estimation problem.

PubMed

Muller, A; Pontonnier, C; Dumont, G

2018-02-01

The present paper aims at presenting a fast and quasi-optimal method of muscle forces estimation: the MusIC method. It consists in interpolating a first estimation in a database generated offline thanks to a classical optimization problem, and then correcting it to respect the motion dynamics. Three different cost functions - two polynomial criteria and a min/max criterion - were tested on a planar musculoskeletal model. The MusIC method provides a computation frequency approximately 10 times higher compared to a classical optimization problem with a relative mean error of 4% on cost function evaluation.

Evaluation of a Commercially Available Euthanasia Solution as a Voluntarily Ingested Euthanasia Agent in Laboratory Mice.

PubMed

Dudley, Emily S; Boivin, Gregory P

2018-01-01

All currently accepted methods of euthanasia for laboratory mice involve some degree of stress, fear, anxiety, or pain. We evaluated the voluntary oral administration of a euthanasia drug in 99 male and 81 female mice of various strains. We first explored the palatability of sugar-cookie dough with various flavorings added. We placed the cookie dough in the cage with an adult mouse and recorded the amount ingested after 1 h. Mice readily ingested all flavors of sugar-cookie dough. We then added a euthanasia solution containing pentobarbital and phenytoin to all flavors of cookie dough and placed a small bolus in the cage of each mouse or mouse pair. We observed the mice for 1 h for clinical signs of pentobarbital intoxication and then weighed uneaten dough to determine the dose of pentobarbital ingested. Palatability declined sharply when euthanasia solution was present. Mice ingested higher doses of pentobarbital in cookie dough during the dark phase and after fasting. Ingestion caused ataxia in some mice but was not sufficient to cause loss of righting reflex, unconsciousness, or death in any mouse. We successfully identified sugar cookie dough as a drug vehicle that was readily and rapidly eaten by mice without the need for previous exposure. Additional research is needed to identify euthanasia compounds for mice that do not affect the palatability of cookie dough.

Evaluation of a Commercially Available Euthanasia Solution as a Voluntarily Ingested Euthanasia Agent in Laboratory Mice

PubMed Central

Dudley, Emily S; Boivin, Gregory P

2018-01-01

All currently accepted methods of euthanasia for laboratory mice involve some degree of stress, fear, anxiety, or pain. We evaluated the voluntary oral administration of a euthanasia drug in 99 male and 81 female mice of various strains. We first explored the palatability of sugar-cookie dough with various flavorings added. We placed the cookie dough in the cage with an adult mouse and recorded the amount ingested after 1 h. Mice readily ingested all flavors of sugar-cookie dough. We then added a euthanasia solution containing pentobarbital and phenytoin to all flavors of cookie dough and placed a small bolus in the cage of each mouse or mouse pair. We observed the mice for 1 h for clinical signs of pentobarbital intoxication and then weighed uneaten dough to determine the dose of pentobarbital ingested. Palatability declined sharply when euthanasia solution was present. Mice ingested higher doses of pentobarbital in cookie dough during the dark phase and after fasting. Ingestion caused ataxia in some mice but was not sufficient to cause loss of righting reflex, unconsciousness, or death in any mouse. We successfully identified sugar cookie dough as a drug vehicle that was readily and rapidly eaten by mice without the need for previous exposure. Additional research is needed to identify euthanasia compounds for mice that do not affect the palatability of cookie dough. PMID:29402349

Comparative study of sperm chromatin condensation in the excurrent ducts of the laboratory mouse Mus musculus and spinifex hopping mouse Notomys alexis.

PubMed

Bauer, M; Leigh, C; Peirce, E; Breed, W G

2005-01-01

In most mammals, post-testicular sperm maturation is completed in the caput and corpus epididymides, with storage occurring in the cauda epididymides. However, in the spinifex hopping mouse, Notomys alexis, epididymal sperm transit is rapid and some sperm storage occurs in the distal region of the vas deferens. The aim of the present study was to determine whether the rapid progression of sperm into the vas deferens in the hopping mouse results in late sperm maturation. To determine this, sperm nuclei from the epididymides and vasa deferentia of laboratory and hopping mice were compared for: (1) thiol content after staining with monobromobimane (mBBr); (2) chromatin resistance to acid denaturation following incubation with acetic alcohol and staining with acridine orange; and (3) chromatin resistance to in vitro decondensation after incubation with 1% sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). It was found that, whereas laboratory mouse sperm completed chromatin condensation by the time they reached the cauda epididymidis, hopping mouse sperm nuclei from the vas deferens showed significantly less mBBr fluorescence and a greater proportion of sperm were resistant to decondensation with SDS than those in the cauda epididymidis. Therefore, the results of the present study indicate that, unlike in the laboratory mouse, hopping mouse chromatin condensation of spermatozoa continues in the vas deferens and this may be due, at least in part, to rapid epididymal transit.

Effects of social stress and intrauterine position on sexual phenotype in wild-type house mice (Mus musculus)

Treesearch

William J. Zielinski; John G. Vandenbergh; Monica M. Montano

1991-01-01

Wild-type house mice were used to test the effect of intrauterine position on anogenital distance (AGD) and to verify whether crowding stress would masculinize female pups, developing at all intrauterine positions, as has been demonstrated in CF-1 mice stressed by restraint, heat, and...

Roles of SLX1–SLX4, MUS81–EME1, and GEN1 in avoiding genome instability and mitotic catastrophe

PubMed Central

Sarbajna, Shriparna; Davies, Derek; West, Stephen C.

2014-01-01

The resolution of recombination intermediates containing Holliday junctions (HJs) is critical for genome maintenance and proper chromosome segregation. Three pathways for HJ processing exist in human cells and involve the following enzymes/complexes: BLM–TopoIIIα–RMI1–RMI2 (BTR complex), SLX1–SLX4–MUS81–EME1 (SLX–MUS complex), and GEN1. Cycling cells preferentially use the BTR complex for the removal of double HJs in S phase, with SLX–MUS and GEN1 acting at temporally distinct phases of the cell cycle. Cells lacking SLX–MUS and GEN1 exhibit chromosome missegregation, micronucleus formation, and elevated levels of 53BP1-positive G1 nuclear bodies, suggesting that defects in chromosome segregation lead to the transmission of extensive DNA damage to daughter cells. In addition, however, we found that the effects of SLX4, MUS81, and GEN1 depletion extend beyond mitosis, since genome instability is observed throughout all phases of the cell cycle. This is exemplified in the form of impaired replication fork movement and S-phase progression, endogenous checkpoint activation, chromosome segmentation, and multinucleation. In contrast to SLX4, SLX1, the nuclease subunit of the SLX1–SLX4 structure-selective nuclease, plays no role in the replication-related phenotypes associated with SLX4/MUS81 and GEN1 depletion. These observations demonstrate that the SLX1–SLX4 nuclease and the SLX4 scaffold play divergent roles in the maintenance of genome integrity in human cells. PMID:24831703

A pronounced evolutionary shift of the pseudoautosomal region boundary in house mice.

PubMed

White, Michael A; Ikeda, Akihiro; Payseur, Bret A

2012-08-01

The pseudoautosomal region (PAR) is essential for the accurate pairing and segregation of the X and Y chromosomes during meiosis. Despite its functional significance, the PAR shows substantial evolutionary divergence in structure and sequence between mammalian species. An instructive example of PAR evolution is the house mouse Mus musculus domesticus (represented by the C57BL/6J strain), which has the smallest PAR among those that have been mapped. In C57BL/6J, the PAR boundary is located just ~700 kb from the distal end of the X chromosome, whereas the boundary is found at a more proximal position in Mus spretus, a species that diverged from house mice 2-4 million years ago. In this study we used a combination of genetic and physical mapping to document a pronounced shift in the PAR boundary in a second house mouse subspecies, Mus musculus castaneus (represented by the CAST/EiJ strain), ~430 kb proximal of the M. m. domesticus boundary. We demonstrate molecular evolutionary consequences of this shift, including a marked lineage-specific increase in sequence divergence within Mid1, a gene that resides entirely within the M. m. castaneus PAR but straddles the boundary in other subspecies. Our results extend observations of structural divergence in the PAR to closely related subspecies, pointing to major evolutionary changes in this functionally important genomic region over a short time period.

The Recombination Landscape in Wild House Mice Inferred Using Population Genomic Data.

PubMed

Booker, Tom R; Ness, Rob W; Keightley, Peter D

2017-09-01

Characterizing variation in the rate of recombination across the genome is important for understanding several evolutionary processes. Previous analysis of the recombination landscape in laboratory mice has revealed that the different subspecies have different suites of recombination hotspots. It is unknown, however, whether hotspots identified in laboratory strains reflect the hotspot diversity of natural populations or whether broad-scale variation in the rate of recombination is conserved between subspecies. In this study, we constructed fine-scale recombination rate maps for a natural population of the Eastern house mouse, Mus musculus castaneus We performed simulations to assess the accuracy of recombination rate inference in the presence of phase errors, and we used a novel approach to quantify phase error. The spatial distribution of recombination events is strongly positively correlated between our castaneus map, and a map constructed using inbred lines derived predominantly from M. m. domesticus Recombination hotspots in wild castaneus show little overlap, however, with the locations of double-strand breaks in wild-derived house mouse strains. Finally, we also find that genetic diversity in M. m. castaneus is positively correlated with the rate of recombination, consistent with pervasive natural selection operating in the genome. Our study suggests that recombination rate variation is conserved at broad scales between house mouse subspecies, but it is not strongly conserved at fine scales. Copyright © 2017 by the Genetics Society of America.

Longevity and age-related lesions in a laboratory colony of grasshopper mice, Onychomys leucogaster

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

O'Farrell, T.P.; Cosgrove, G.E.

1975-07-01

Mated pairs of northern grasshopper mice, Onychomys leucogaster fuscogriseus, were maintained in a laboratory colony to determine their median longevity, maximum life span, and age-related pathologies. Median life span for both sexes and four cohorts was 1411 days and the maximum life span was 1915 days. There were no significant differences between sexes, but cohorts 5-7 generations removed from wild-caught parents had shorter median life spans. (auth)

Stressful Presentations: Mild Cold Stress in Laboratory Mice Influences Phenotype of Dendritic Cells in Naïve and Tumor-Bearing Mice

PubMed Central

Kokolus, Kathleen M.; Spangler, Haley M.; Povinelli, Benjamin J.; Farren, Matthew R.; Lee, Kelvin P.; Repasky, Elizabeth A.

2013-01-01

The ability of dendritic cells (DCs) to stimulate and regulate T cells is critical to effective anti-tumor immunity. Therefore, it is important to fully recognize any inherent factors which may influence DC function under experimental conditions, especially in laboratory mice since they are used so heavily to model immune responses. The goals of this report are to 1) briefly summarize previous work revealing how DCs respond to various forms of physiological stress and 2) to present new data highlighting the potential for chronic mild cold stress inherent to mice housed at the required standard ambient temperatures to influence baseline DCs properties in naïve and tumor-bearing mice. As recent data from our group shows that CD8+ T cell function is significantly altered by chronic mild cold stress and since DC function is crucial for CD8+ T cell activation, we wondered whether housing temperature may also be influencing DC function. Here we report that there are several significant phenotypical and functional differences among DC subsets in naïve and tumor-bearing mice housed at either standard housing temperature or at a thermoneutral ambient temperature, which significantly reduces the extent of cold stress. The new data presented here strongly suggests that, by itself, the housing temperature of mice can affect fundamental properties and functions of DCs. Therefore differences in basal levels of stress due to housing should be taken into consideration when interpreting experiments designed to evaluate the impact of additional variables, including other stressors on DC function. PMID:24575090

Stressful presentations: mild cold stress in laboratory mice influences phenotype of dendritic cells in naïve and tumor-bearing mice.

PubMed

Kokolus, Kathleen M; Spangler, Haley M; Povinelli, Benjamin J; Farren, Matthew R; Lee, Kelvin P; Repasky, Elizabeth A

2014-01-01

The ability of dendritic cells (DCs) to stimulate and regulate T cells is critical to effective anti-tumor immunity. Therefore, it is important to fully recognize any inherent factors which may influence DC function under experimental conditions, especially in laboratory mice since they are used so heavily to model immune responses. The goals of this report are to 1) briefly summarize previous work revealing how DCs respond to various forms of physiological stress and 2) to present new data highlighting the potential for chronic mild cold stress inherent to mice housed at the required standard ambient temperatures to influence baseline DCs properties in naïve and tumor-bearing mice. As recent data from our group shows that CD8(+) T cell function is significantly altered by chronic mild cold stress and since DC function is crucial for CD8(+) T cell activation, we wondered whether housing temperature may also be influencing DC function. Here we report that there are several significant phenotypical and functional differences among DC subsets in naïve and tumor-bearing mice housed at either standard housing temperature or at a thermoneutral ambient temperature, which significantly reduces the extent of cold stress. The new data presented here strongly suggests that, by itself, the housing temperature of mice can affect fundamental properties and functions of DCs. Therefore differences in basal levels of stress due to housing should be taken into consideration when interpreting experiments designed to evaluate the impact of additional variables, including other stressors on DC function.

[Genotype-related changes in the reproductive function under social hierarchy in laboratory male mice].

PubMed

Osadchuk, L V; Salomacheva, I N; Osadchuk, A V

2010-01-01

The study was designed to investigate genetic differences in reproductive consequences of social hierarchy using inbred mice strains BALB/cLac, PT and CBA/Lac. Two adult males of different genotypes were housed together for 5 days. Hierarchical status of both partners was determined by asymmetry in agonistic behavior. The number of epididymal sperm and a proportion of abnormal sperm, weights of reproductive organs, serum concentration and testicular content of testosterone, and the testosterone response to introduction of a receptive female were determined. The testosterone measures were significantly decreased in the PT strain, the epididymal sperm number was significantly decreased in the BALB/cLac strain and a proportion of abnormal sperm heads was significantly increase in the CBA/Lac (in both dominants and subordinates) as compared to control mice. The testicular testosterone response to a receptive female and precopulatory behavior was unchanged in dominants and suppressed in subordinates of the BALB/cLac strain. The results indicate that in laboratory mice the pattern of reproductive response to social hierarchy is determined by genetic background.

Pre-breeding food restriction promotes the optimization of parental investment in house mice, Mus musculus.

PubMed

Dušek, Adam; Bartoš, Luděk; Sedláček, František

2017-01-01

Litter size is one of the most reliable state-dependent life-history traits that indicate parental investment in polytocous (litter-bearing) mammals. The tendency to optimize litter size typically increases with decreasing availability of resources during the period of parental investment. To determine whether this tactic is also influenced by resource limitations prior to reproduction, we examined the effect of experimental, pre-breeding food restriction on the optimization of parental investment in lactating mice. First, we investigated the optimization of litter size in 65 experimental and 72 control families (mothers and their dependent offspring). Further, we evaluated pre-weaning offspring mortality, and the relationships between maternal and offspring condition (body weight), as well as offspring mortality, in 24 experimental and 19 control families with litter reduction (the death of one or more offspring). Assuming that pre-breeding food restriction would signal unpredictable food availability, we hypothesized that the optimization of parental investment would be more effective in the experimental rather than in the control mice. In comparison to the controls, the experimental mice produced larger litters and had a more selective (size-dependent) offspring mortality and thus lower litter reduction (the proportion of offspring deaths). Selective litter reduction helped the experimental mothers to maintain their own optimum condition, thereby improving the condition and, indirectly, the survival of their remaining offspring. Hence, pre-breeding resource limitations may have facilitated the mice to optimize their inclusive fitness. On the other hand, in the control females, the absence of environmental cues indicating a risky environment led to "maternal optimism" (overemphasizing good conditions at the time of breeding), which resulted in the production of litters of super-optimal size and consequently higher reproductive costs during lactation, including

The Time-to-Integrate-to-Nest Test as an Indicator of Wellbeing in Laboratory Mice

PubMed Central

Rock, Meagan L; Karas, Alicia Z; Gartrell Rodriguez, Katherine B; Gallo, Miranda S; Pritchett-Corning, Kathleen; Karas, Richard H; Aronovitz, Mark; Gaskill, Brianna N

2014-01-01

Minimizing and alleviating pain and distress in laboratory mice without compromising the methodologic integrity of research is a crucial goal. However, current methods for welfare assessment in mice are not well suited to cageside checks. In the present study, we developed a simple assessment tool—the time-to-integrate-to-nest test (TINT)—and evaluated its ability to identify mice with compromised welfare. To conduct the TINT, a nominal amount of nesting material is added to a mouse cage, and the nesting behaviors that occur immediately thereafter are observed. The TINT yields a positive result when a mouse integrates the new nesting material into the main nest site within 10 min; failure to interact with the nesting material is defined as a negative TINT. Our first experiment examined whether genetic background and sex are associated with differences in the likelihood of a positive TINT in unmanipulated mice. A significant effect related to mouse strain was found: C3H/HeNCrl had the lowest positive TINT rate among the 10 strains evaluated. A second experiment assessed whether results of the TINT would be altered after a painful surgical procedure, such as carotid artery injury. Despite all mice having received buprenorphine as analgesia at the time of surgery, significantly more mice had a negative TINT for 2 d after surgery than before surgery. Based on the results of the current study, additional work is needed to specifically validate the TINT in injured and noninjured subjects. PMID:24411776

Open-field behavior of house mice selectively bred for high voluntary wheel-running.

PubMed

Bronikowski, A M; Carter, P A; Swallow, J G; Girard, I A; Rhodes, J S; Garland, T

2001-05-01

Open-field behavioral assays are commonly used to test both locomotor activity and emotionality in rodents. We performed open-field tests on house mice (Mus domesticus) from four replicate lines genetically selected for high voluntary wheel-running for 22 generations and from four replicate random-bred control lines. Individual mice were recorded by video camera for 3 min in a 1-m2 open-field arena on 2 consecutive days. Mice from selected lines showed no statistical differences from control mice with respect to distance traveled, defecation, time spent in the interior, or average distance from the center of the arena during the trial. Thus, we found little evidence that open-field behavior, as traditionally defined, is genetically correlated with wheel-running behavior. This result is a useful converse test of classical studies that report no increased wheel-running in mice selected for increased open-field activity. However, mice from selected lines turned less in their travel paths than did control-line mice, and females from selected lines had slower travel times (longer latencies) to reach the wall. We discuss these results in the context of the historical open-field test and newly defined measures of open-field activity.

Detection of Highly-Absorbed X-rays from Nova Mus 2018 with Swift

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nelson, Thomas; Kuin, Paul; Mukai, Koji; Page, Kim; Chomiuk, Laura; Kawash, Adam; Sokoloski, J. L.; Linford, Justin; Rupen, Michael P.; Mioduszewski, Amy

2018-03-01

We report the detection of X-rays from Nova Mus 2018 with the Swift XRT instrument. We have been carrying out weekly monitoring of the nova with Swift since its discovery on 2018 Jan 15 (see ATel #11220), and observations up to 2018 Feb 24 yielded X-ray non-detections.

Faster fertilization rate in conspecific versus heterospecific matings in house mice.

PubMed

Dean, Matthew D; Nachman, Michael W

2009-01-01

Barriers to gene flow can arise at any stage in the reproductive sequence. Most studies of reproductive isolation focus on premating or postzygotic phenotypes, leaving the importance of differences in fertilization rate overlooked. Two closely related species of house mice, Mus domesticus and M. musculus, form a narrow hybrid zone in Europe, suggesting that one or more isolating factors operate in the face of ongoing gene flow. Here, we test for differences in fertilization rate using laboratory matings as well as in vitro sperm competition assays. In noncompetitive matings, we show that fertilization occurs significantly faster in conspecific versus heterospecific matings and that this difference arises after mating and before zygotes form. To further explore the mechanisms underlying this conspecific advantage, we used competitive in vitro assays to isolate gamete interactions. Surprisingly, we discovered that M. musculus sperm consistently outcompeted M. domesticus sperm regardless of which species donated ova. These results suggest that in vivo fertilization rate is mediated by interactions between sperm, the internal female environment, and/or contributions from male seminal fluid. We discuss the implications of faster conspecific fertilization in terms of reproductive isolation among these two naturally hybridizing species.

Dehydration Parameters and Standards for Laboratory Mice

PubMed Central

Bekkevold, Christine M; Robertson, Kimberly L; Reinhard, Mary K; Battles, August H; Rowland, Neil E

2013-01-01

Water deprivation and restriction are common features of many physiologic and behavioral studies; however, there are no data-driven humane standards regarding mice on water deprivation or restriction studies to guide IACUC, investigators, and veterinarians. Here we acutely deprived outbred CD1 mice of water for as long as 48 h or restricted them to a 75% or 50% water ration; physical and physiologic indicators of dehydration were measured. With acute water deprivation, the appearance and attitude of mice deteriorated after 24 h, and weight loss exceeded 15%. Plasma osmolality was increased, and plasma volume decreased with each time interval. Plasma corticosterone concentration increased with duration of deprivation. There were no differences in any dehydration measures between mice housed in conventional static cages or ventilated racks. Chronic water restriction induced no significant changes compared with ad libitum availability. We conclude that acute water deprivation of as long as 24 h produces robust physiologic changes; however, deprivation in excess of 24 h is not recommended in light of apparent animal distress. Although clearly thirsty, mice adapt to chronic water restriction of as much as 50% of the ad libitum daily ration that is imposed over an interval of as long as 8 d. PMID:23849404

Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis Virus in Employees and Mice at Multipremises Feeder-Rodent Operation, United States, 2012

PubMed Central

Ströher, Ute; Edison, Laura; Albariño, César G.; Lovejoy, Jodi; Armeanu, Emilian; House, Jennifer; Cory, Denise; Horton, Clayton; Fowler, Kathy L.; Austin, Jessica; Poe, John; Humbaugh, Kraig E.; Guerrero, Lisa; Campbell, Shelley; Gibbons, Aridth; Reed, Zachary; Cannon, Deborah; Manning, Craig; Petersen, Brett; Metcalf, Douglas; Marsh, Bret; Nichol, Stuart T.; Rollin, Pierre E.

2014-01-01

We investigated the extent of lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) infection in employees and rodents at 3 commercial breeding facilities. Of 97 employees tested, 31 (32%) had IgM and/or IgG to LCMV, and aseptic meningitis was diagnosed in 4 employees. Of 1,820 rodents tested in 1 facility, 382 (21%) mice (Mus musculus) had detectable IgG, and 13 (0.7%) were positive by reverse transcription PCR; LCMV was isolated from 8. Rats (Rattus norvegicus) were not found to be infected. S-segment RNA sequence was similar to strains previously isolated in North America. Contact by wild mice with colony mice was the likely source for LCMV, and shipments of infected mice among facilities spread the infection. The breeding colonies were depopulated to prevent further human infections. Future outbreaks can be prevented with monitoring and management, and employees should be made aware of LCMV risks and prevention. PMID:24447605

Energy cost of wheel running in house mice: implications for coadaptation of locomotion and energy budgets.

PubMed

Koteja, P; Swallow, J G; Carter, P A; Garland, T

1999-01-01

Laboratory house mice (Mus domesticus) that had experienced 10 generations of artificial selection for high levels of voluntary wheel running ran about 70% more total revolutions per day than did mice from random-bred control lines. The difference resulted primarily from increased average velocities rather than from increased time spent running. Within all eight lines (four selected, four control), females ran more than males. Average daily running distances ranged from 4.4 km in control males to 11.6 km in selected females. Whole-animal food consumption was statistically indistinguishable in the selected and control lines. However, mice from selected lines averaged approximately 10% smaller in body mass, and mass-adjusted food consumption was 4% higher in selected lines than in controls. The incremental cost of locomotion (grams food/revolution), computed as the partial regression slope of food consumption on revolutions run per day, did not differ between selected and control mice. On a 24-h basis, the total incremental cost of running (covering a distance) amounted to only 4.4% of food consumption in the control lines and 7.5% in the selected ones. However, the daily incremental cost of time active is higher (15.4% and 13.1% of total food consumption in selected and control lines, respectively). If wheel running in the selected lines continues to increase mainly by increases in velocity, then constraints related to energy acquisition are unlikely to be an important factor limiting further selective gain. More generally, our results suggest that, in small mammals, a substantial evolutionary increase in daily movement distances can be achieved by increasing running speed, without remarkable increases in total energy expenditure.

Suspended animation-like state protects mice from lethal hypoxia.

PubMed

Blackstone, Eric; Roth, Mark B

2007-04-01

Joseph Priestley observed the high burn rate of candles in pure oxygen and wondered if people would "live out too fast" if we were in the same environment. We hypothesize that sulfide, a natural reducer of oxygen that is made in many cell types, acts as a buffer to prevent unrestricted oxygen consumption. To test this, we administered sulfide in the form of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) to mice (Mus musculus). As we have previously shown, H2S decreases the metabolic rate of mice by approximately 90% and induces a suspended animation-like state. Mice cannot survive for longer than 20 min when exposed to 5% oxygen. However, if mice are first put into a suspended animation-like state by a 20-min pretreatment with H2S and then are exposed to low oxygen, they can survive for more than 6.5 h in 5% oxygen with no apparent detrimental effects. In addition, if mice are exposed to a 20-min pretreatment with H2S followed by 1 h at 5% oxygen, they can then survive for several hours at oxygen tensions as low as 3%. We hypothesize that prior exposure to H2S reduces oxygen demand, therefore making it possible for the mice to survive with low oxygen supply. These results suggest that H2S may be useful to prevent damage associated with hypoxia.

Implantation of radiotelemetry transmitters yielding data on ECG, heart rate, core body temperature and activity in free-moving laboratory mice.

PubMed

Cesarovic, Nikola; Jirkof, Paulin; Rettich, Andreas; Arras, Margarete

2011-11-21

The laboratory mouse is the animal species of choice for most biomedical research, in both the academic sphere and the pharmaceutical industry. Mice are a manageable size and relatively easy to house. These factors, together with the availability of a wealth of spontaneous and experimentally induced mutants, make laboratory mice ideally suited to a wide variety of research areas. In cardiovascular, pharmacological and toxicological research, accurate measurement of parameters relating to the circulatory system of laboratory animals is often required. Determination of heart rate, heart rate variability, and duration of PQ and QT intervals are based on electrocardiogram (ECG) recordings. However, obtaining reliable ECG curves as well as physiological data such as core body temperature in mice can be difficult using conventional measurement techniques, which require connecting sensors and lead wires to a restrained, tethered, or even anaesthetized animal. Data obtained in this fashion must be interpreted with caution, as it is well known that restraining and anesthesia can have a major artifactual influence on physiological parameters. Radiotelemetry enables data to be collected from conscious and untethered animals. Measurements can be conducted even in freely moving animals, and without requiring the investigator to be in the proximity of the animal. Thus, known sources of artifacts are avoided, and accurate and reliable measurements are assured. This methodology also reduces interanimal variability, thus reducing the number of animals used, rendering this technology the most humane method of monitoring physiological parameters in laboratory animals. Constant advancements in data acquisition technology and implant miniaturization mean that it is now possible to record physiological parameters and locomotor activity continuously and in realtime over longer periods such as hours, days or even weeks. Here, we describe a surgical technique for implantation of a

The evolutionary turnover of recombination hot spots contributes to speciation in mice.

PubMed

Smagulova, Fatima; Brick, Kevin; Pu, Yongmei; Camerini-Otero, R Daniel; Petukhova, Galina V

2016-02-01

Meiotic recombination is required for the segregation of homologous chromosomes and is essential for fertility. In most mammals, the DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) that initiate meiotic recombination are directed to a subset of genomic loci (hot spots) by sequence-specific binding of the PRDM9 protein. Rapid evolution of the DNA-binding specificity of PRDM9 and gradual erosion of PRDM9-binding sites by gene conversion will alter the recombination landscape over time. To better understand the evolutionary turnover of recombination hot spots and its consequences, we mapped DSB hot spots in four major subspecies of Mus musculus with different Prdm9 alleles and in their F1 hybrids. We found that hot spot erosion governs the preferential usage of some Prdm9 alleles over others in hybrid mice and increases sequence diversity specifically at hot spots that become active in the hybrids. As crossovers are disfavored at such hot spots, we propose that sequence divergence generated by hot spot turnover may create an impediment for recombination in hybrids, potentially leading to reduced fertility and, eventually, speciation. Published by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press.

Stop Stalling: Mus81 Required for Efficient Replication | Center for Cancer Research

Cancer.gov

DNA replication is precisely controlled to ensure that daughter cells receive intact, accurate genetic information. Each segment of DNA must be copied only once, and the rate of replication coordinated genome-wide. Mild replication stress slows DNA synthesis and activates a pathway involving the Mus81 endonuclease, which generates a series of DNA breaks that are rapidly

A pronounced evolutionary shift of the pseudoautosomal region boundary in house mice

PubMed Central

White, Michael A.; Ikeda, Akihiro; Payseur, Bret A.

2012-01-01

The pseudoautosomal region (PAR) is essential for the accurate pairing and segregation of the X and Y chromosomes during meiosis. Despite its functional significance, the PAR shows substantial evolutionary divergence in structure and sequence between mammalian species. An instructive example of PAR evolution is the house mouse Mus musculus domesticus (represented by the C57BL/6J strain), which has the smallest PAR among those that have been mapped. In C57BL/6J, the PAR boundary is located just ~700 kb from the distal end of the X chromosome, whereas the boundary is found at a more proximal position in Mus spretus, a species that diverged from house mice 2–4 million years ago. Here, we use a combination of genetic and physical mapping to document a pronounced shift in the PAR boundary in a second house mouse subspecies, Mus musculus castaneus (represented by the CAST/EiJ strain), ~430 kb proximal of the M. m. domesticus boundary. We demonstrate molecular evolutionary consequences of this shift, including a marked lineage-specific increase in sequence divergence within Mid1, a gene that resides entirely within the M. m. castaneus PAR but straddles the boundary in other subspecies. Our results extend observations of structural divergence in the PAR to closely related subspecies, pointing to major evolutionary changes in this functionally important genomic region over a short time period. PMID:22763584

Interval Timing Accuracy and Scalar Timing in C57BL/6 Mice

PubMed Central

Buhusi, Catalin V.; Aziz, Dyana; Winslow, David; Carter, Rickey E.; Swearingen, Joshua E.; Buhusi, Mona C.

2010-01-01

In many species, interval timing behavior is accurate—appropriate estimated durations—and scalar—errors vary linearly with estimated durations. While accuracy has been previously examined, scalar timing has not been yet clearly demonstrated in house mice (Mus musculus), raising concerns about mouse models of human disease. We estimated timing accuracy and precision in C57BL/6 mice, the most used background strain for genetic models of human disease, in a peak-interval procedure with multiple intervals. Both when timing two intervals (Experiment 1) or three intervals (Experiment 2), C57BL/6 mice demonstrated varying degrees of timing accuracy. Importantly, both at individual and group level, their precision varied linearly with the subjective estimated duration. Further evidence for scalar timing was obtained using an intraclass correlation statistic. This is the first report of consistent, reliable scalar timing in a sizable sample of house mice, thus validating the PI procedure as a valuable technique, the intraclass correlation statistic as a powerful test of the scalar property, and the C57BL/6 strain as a suitable background for behavioral investigations of genetically engineered mice modeling disorders of interval timing. PMID:19824777

Morphofunctional evaluation of the testis, duration of spermatogenesis and spermatogenic efficiency in the Japanese fancy mouse (Mus musculus molossinus).

PubMed

Costa, Guilherme M J; Leal, Marcelo C; França, Luiz R

2017-08-01

Japanese fancy mouse, mini mouse or pet mouse are common names used to refer to strains of mice that present with different colour varieties and coat types. Although many genetic studies that involve spotting phenotype based on the coat have been performed in these mice, there are no reports of quantitative data in the literature regarding testis structure and spermatogenic efficiency. Hence, in this study we researched testis function and spermatogenesis in the adult Japanese fancy mouse. The following values of 68 ± 6 mg and 0.94 ± 0.1% were obtained as mean testis weight and gonadosomatic index, respectively. In comparison with other investigated mice strains, the fancy mouse Leydig cell individual size was much smaller, resulting in higher numbers of these cells per gram of testis. As found for laboratory mice strains, as a result of the development of the acrosomic system, 12 stages of the seminiferous epithelium cycle have been described in this study. The combined frequencies of pre-meiotic and post-meiotic stages were respectively 24% and 64% and very similar to the laboratory mice. The more differentiated germ cell types marked at 1 h or 9 days after tritiated thymidine administration were preleptotene/leptotene and pachytene spermatocytes at the same stage (VIII). The mean duration of one spermatogenic cycle was 8.8 ± 0.01 days and the total length of spermatogenesis lasted 37.8 ± 0.01 days (4.5 cycles). A high number of germ cell apoptosis was evident during meiosis, resulting in lower Sertoli cell and spermatogenic efficiencies, when compared with laboratory mice strains.

Sensitivity of perianal tape impressions to diagnose pinworm (Syphacia spp.) infections in rats (Rattus norvegicus) and mice (Mus musculus).

PubMed

Hill, William Allen; Randolph, Mildred M; Mandrell, Timothy D

2009-07-01

We determined the sensitivity of perianal tape impressions to detect Syphacia spp. in rats and mice. We evaluated 300 rat and 200 mouse perianal impressions over 9 wk. Pinworm-positive perianal tape impressions from animals with worm burdens at necropsy were considered as true positives. Conversely, pinworm-negative perianal tape impressions from animals with worm burdens were considered false negatives. The sensitivity of perianal tape impressions for detecting Syphacia muris infections in rats was 100%, and for detecting Syphacia obvelata in mice was 85.5%. Intermittent shedding of Syphacia obvelata ova is the most probable explanation for the decreased sensitivity rate we observed in mice. We urge caution in use of perianal tape impressions alone for Syphacia spp. screening in sentinel mice and rats.

Effects of selection for ethanol preference on gene expression in the nucleus accumbens of HS-CC mice

PubMed Central

Colville, A. M.; Iancu, O. D.; Oberbeck, D. L.; Darakjian, P.; Zheng, C. L.; Walter, N. A. R.; Harrington, C. A.; Searles, R. P.; McWeeney, S.; Hitzemann, R. J.

2017-01-01

Previous studies on changes in murine brain gene expression associated with the selection for ethanol preference have used F2 intercross or heterogeneous stock (HS) founders, derived from standard laboratory strains. However, these populations represent only a small proportion of the genetic variance available in Mus musculus. To investigate a wider range of genetic diversity, we selected mice for ethanol preference using an HS derived from the eight strains of the collaborative cross. These HS mice were selectively bred (four generations) for high and low ethanol preference. The nucleus accumbens shell of naive S4 mice was interrogated using RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq). Gene networks were constructed using the weighted gene coexpression network analysis assessing both coexpression and cosplicing. Selection targeted one of the network coexpression modules (greenyellow) that was significantly enriched in genes associated with receptor signaling activity including Chrna7, Grin2a, Htr2a and Oprd1. Connectivity in the module as measured by changes in the hub nodes was significantly reduced in the low preference line. Of particular interest was the observation that selection had marked effects on a large number of cell adhesion molecules, including cadherins and protocadherins. In addition, the coexpression data showed that selection had marked effects on long non-coding RNA hub nodes. Analysis of the cosplicing network data showed a significant effect of selection on a large cluster of Ras GTPase-binding genes including Cdkl5, Cyfip1, Ndrg1, Sod1 and Stxbp5. These data in part support the earlier observation that preference is linked to Ras/Mapk pathways. PMID:28058793

Capacitive Sensing for Non-Invasive Breathing and Heart Monitoring in Non-Restrained, Non-Sedated Laboratory Mice.

PubMed

González-Sánchez, Carlos; Fraile, Juan-Carlos; Pérez-Turiel, Javier; Damm, Ellen; Schneider, Jochen G; Zimmermann, Heiko; Schmitt, Daniel; Ihmig, Frank R

2016-07-07

Animal testing plays a vital role in biomedical research. Stress reduction is important for improving research results and increasing the welfare and the quality of life of laboratory animals. To estimate stress we believe it is of great importance to develop non-invasive techniques for monitoring physiological signals during the transport of laboratory animals, thereby allowing the gathering of information on the transport conditions, and, eventually, the improvement of these conditions. Here, we study the suitability of commercially available electric potential integrated circuit (EPIC) sensors, using both contact and contactless techniques, for monitoring the heart rate and breathing rate of non-restrained, non-sedated laboratory mice. The design has been tested under different scenarios with the aim of checking the plausibility of performing contactless capture of mouse heart activity (ideally with an electrocardiogram). First experimental results are shown.

Limits to sustained energy intake. X. Effects of fur removal on reproductive performance in laboratory mice.

PubMed

Król, Elzbieta; Murphy, Michelle; Speakman, John R

2007-12-01

The maximum rate of sustained energy intake (SusEI) may limit reproductive effort and other aspects of animal performance. We have previously suggested that lactating mice are not limited centrally by the alimentary tract or peripherally by the mammary glands, but that the limits to SusEI are imposed by the capacity of the animal to dissipate body heat generated as a by-product of processing food and producing milk. To explore the nature of the limits to SusEI, we bred MF1 laboratory mice at 21 degrees C and then dorsally shaved lactating females to reduce their external insulation and thereby elevate their capacity to dissipate body heat. These mice increased their food intake by 12.0% and assimilated on average 30.9 kJ day(-1) more energy than unshaved animals. With nearly identical mean litter sizes (11.4 pups for shaved and 11.3 pups for unshaved mice), shaved mothers exported 15.2% (22.0 kJ day(-1)) more energy as milk than control individuals. The elevated milk production of shaved mice enabled them to wean litters that were 15.4% (12.2 g) heavier than offspring produced by unshaved mice. Our results argue against central, peripheral or extrinsic limits to SusEI at peak lactation and provide strong support for the heat dissipation limit hypothesis. More generally, we see many situations where heat dissipation may be a previously unrecognised factor constraining the evolution of endothermic animals - for example, the latitudinal and altitudinal trends in clutch and litter sizes and the migration patterns of birds.

The chromosomal distribution of Mus musculus-like AT-rich heterochromatin in the M. dunni complex as revealed by AluI digestion of metaphase chromosomes.

PubMed

Balajee, A S; Sharma, T

1994-01-01

In situ digestion of metaphase chromosomes with AluI revealed differences in the distribution of Mus musculus-like AT-rich heterochromatin in the complements of the Indian pygmy field mice, M. booduga and M. dunni. In M. booduga, although the banding pattern was almost comparable to that of M. musculus, AluI-resistant bands were much reduced in size at the centromeric regions. In all three chromosome types of the M. dunni complex, M. musculus-like AT-rich heterochromatin was found to be confined mainly to two small segments on the short arm of the X chromosome. This AT-rich heterochromatin varied greatly in both position and quantity in the two X chromosomes. In addition to the polymorphism, a whole block of M. musculus-like AT-rich heterochromatin was found at the centromeric region of an autosome in one individual of M. dunni.

Increased survivorship of testosterone-treated female house mice (Mus musculus) in high-density field conditions

Treesearch

W.J. Zielinski; J.G. Vandenbergh

1991-01-01

Differences in hormone levels influence sexual differences in aggression. survival, home-range size and dispcrsal in rodents. The role oftestosterone in establishing some of these differences in wild house mice was examined. Females treated with either 0·5 mg of testosterone enanthate (TE-treated) or oil (control), and an...

Chromosomal Aberrations in Wild Mice Captured in Areas Differentially Contaminated by the Fukushima Dai-Ichi Nuclear Power Plant Accident.

PubMed

Kubota, Yoshihisa; Tsuji, Hideo; Kawagoshi, Taiki; Shiomi, Naoko; Takahashi, Hiroyuki; Watanabe, Yoshito; Fuma, Shoichi; Doi, Kazutaka; Kawaguchi, Isao; Aoki, Masanari; Kubota, Masahide; Furuhata, Yoshiaki; Shigemura, Yusaku; Mizoguchi, Masahiko; Yamada, Fumio; Tomozawa, Morihiko; Sakamoto, Shinsuke H; Yoshida, Satoshi

2015-08-18

Following the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant accident, radiation effects on nonhuman biota in the contaminated areas have been a great concern. The induction of chromosomal aberrations in splenic lymphocytes of small Japanese field mice (Apodemus argenteus) and house mice (Mus musculus) inhabiting Fukushima Prefecture was investigated. In mice inhabiting the slightly contaminated area, the average frequency of dicentric chromosomes was similar to that seen in mice inhabiting a noncontaminated control area. In contrast, mice inhabiting the moderately and heavily contaminated areas showed a significant increase in the average frequencies of dicentric chromosomes. Total absorbed dose rate was estimated to be approximately 1 mGy d(-1) and 3 mGy d(-1) in the moderately and heavily contaminated areas, respectively. Chromosomal aberrations tended to roughly increase with dose rate. Although theoretically, the frequency of chromosomal aberrations was considered proportional to the absorbed dose, chromosomal aberrations in old mice (estimated median age 300 days) did not increase with radiation dose at the same rate as that observed in young mice (estimated median age 105 days).

Viral Diversity of House Mice in New York City

PubMed Central

Williams, Simon H.; Che, Xiaoyu; Garcia, Joel A.; Klena, John D.; Lee, Bohyun; Muller, Dorothy; Ulrich, Werner; Corrigan, Robert M.; Nichol, Stuart; Jain, Komal

2018-01-01

ABSTRACT The microbiome of wild Mus musculus (house mouse), a globally distributed invasive pest that resides in close contact with humans in urban centers, is largely unexplored. Here, we report analysis of the fecal virome of house mice in residential buildings in New York City, NY. Mice were collected at seven sites in Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn, and the Bronx over a period of 1 year. Unbiased high-throughput sequencing of feces revealed 36 viruses from 18 families and 21 genera, including at least 6 novel viruses and 3 novel genera. A representative screen of 15 viruses by PCR confirmed the presence of 13 of these viruses in liver. We identified an uneven distribution of diversity, with several viruses being associated with specific locations. Higher mouse weight was associated with an increase in the number of viruses detected per mouse, after adjusting for site, sex, and length. We found neither genetic footprints to known human viral pathogens nor antibodies to lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus. PMID:29666290

Out of Africa: demographic and colonization history of the Algerian mouse (Mus spretus Lataste).

PubMed

Lalis, Aude; Mona, Stefano; Stoetzel, Emmanuelle; Bonhomme, François; Souttou, Karim; Ouarour, Ali; Aulagnier, Stéphane; Denys, Christiane; Nicolas, Violaine

2018-05-23

North Africa is now recognized as a major area for the emergence and dispersal of anatomically modern humans from at least 315 kya. The Mediterranean Basin is thus particularly suited to study the role of climate versus human-mediated changes on the evolutionary history of species. The Algerian mouse (Mus spretus Lataste) is an endemic species from this basin, with its distribution restricted to North Africa (from Libya to Morocco), Iberian Peninsula and South of France. A rich paleontological record of M. spretus exists in North Africa, suggesting hypotheses concerning colonization pathways, and the demographic and morphologic history of this species. Here we combined genetic (3 mitochondrial DNA loci and 18 microsatellites) and climatic niche modeling data to infer the evolutionary history of the Algerian mouse. We collected 646 new individuals in 51 localities. Our results are consistent with an anthropogenic translocation of the Algerian mouse from North Africa to the Iberian Peninsula via Neolithic navigators, probably from the Tingitane Peninsula. Once arrived in Spain, suitable climatic conditions would then have favored the dispersion of the Algerian mice to France. The morphological differentiation observed between Spanish, French and North African populations could be explained by a founder effect and possibly local adaptation. This article helps to better understand the role of climate versus human-mediated changes on the evolutionary history of mammal species in the Mediterranean Basin.

Disruption of SLX4-MUS81 Function Increases the Relative Biological Effectiveness of Proton Radiation.

PubMed

Liu, Qi; Underwood, Tracy S A; Kung, Jong; Wang, Meng; Lu, Hsiao-Ming; Paganetti, Harald; Held, Kathryn D; Hong, Theodore S; Efstathiou, Jason A; Willers, Henning

2016-05-01

Clinical proton beam therapy has been based on the use of a generic relative biological effectiveness (RBE) of ∼1.1. However, emerging data have suggested that Fanconi anemia (FA) and homologous recombination pathway defects can lead to a variable RBE, at least in vitro. We investigated the role of SLX4 (FANCP), which acts as a docking platform for the assembly of multiple structure-specific endonucleases, in the response to proton irradiation. Isogenic cell pairs for the study of SLX4, XPF/ERCC1, MUS81, and SLX1 were irradiated at the mid-spread-out Bragg peak of a clinical proton beam (linear energy transfer 2.5 keV/μm) or with 250 kVp x-rays, and the clonogenic survival fractions were determined. To estimate the RBE of the protons relative to cobalt-60 photons (Co60Eq), we assigned a RBE(Co60Eq) of 1.1 to x-rays to correct the physical dose measured. Standard DNA repair foci assays were used to monitor the damage responses, and the cell cycle distributions were assessed by flow cytometry. The poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitor olaparib was used for comparison. Loss of SLX4 function resulted in an enhanced proton RBE(Co60Eq) of 1.42 compared with 1.11 for wild-type cells (at a survival fraction of 0.1; P<.05), which correlated with increased persistent DNA double-strand breaks in cells in the S/G2 phase. Genetic analysis identified the SLX4-binding partner MUS81 as a mediator of resistance to proton radiation. Both proton irradiation and olaparib treatment resulted in a similar prolonged accumulation of RAD51 foci in SLX4/MUS81-deficient cells, suggesting a common defect in the repair of DNA replication fork-associated damage. A defect in the FA pathway at the level of SLX4 results in hypersensitivity to proton radiation, which is, at least in part, due to impaired MUS81-mediated processing of replication forks that stall at clustered DNA damage. In vivo and clinical studies are needed to confirm these findings in human cancers. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier

Cosegregation of Robertsonian metacentric chromosomes in the first meiotic division of multiple heterozygous male mice as revealed by FISH analysis of spermatocyte II metaphases.

PubMed

Scascitelli, M; Pacchierotti, F; Rizzoni, M; Gustavino, B; Spirito, F

2003-01-01

Contrasting results (random segregation or cosegregation of isomorphic chromosomes) have been reported up to now on the segregation pattern of Robertsonian metacentric chromosomes of Mus musculus domesticus in multiple heterozygotes, using different approaches (karyotypical analysis of the progeny or of second meiotic metaphases). In the present contribution data are presented based on FISH (Fluorescence In Situ Hybridisation) analysis with telomeric probes, which allowed us to distinguish metacentric chromosomes from pairs of acrocentric chromosomes with their centromeric regions close to each other. Probes were hybridized to DAPI stained metaphases of spermatocytes II of mice heterozygous for two, three or four Robertsonian metacentrics in an all-acrocentric background, the karyotype of which has been reconstructed starting from laboratory strains. Isomorphic chromosomes tend to cosegregate (metacentrics with metacentrics, acrocentrics with acrocentrics); the values found for cosegregation have a clear even if moderate effect on the reproductive isolation caused by underdominant chromosomal rearrangements. Copyright 2003 S. Karger AG, Basel

Effects of size, sex, and voluntary running speeds on costs of locomotion in lines of laboratory mice selectively bred for high wheel-running activity.

PubMed

Rezende, Enrico L; Kelly, Scott A; Gomes, Fernando R; Chappell, Mark A; Garland, Theodore

2006-01-01

Selective breeding for over 35 generations has led to four replicate (S) lines of laboratory house mice (Mus domesticus) that run voluntarily on wheels about 170% more than four random-bred control (C) lines. We tested whether S lines have evolved higher running performance by increasing running economy (i.e., decreasing energy spent per unit of distance) as a correlated response to selection, using a recently developed method that allows for nearly continuous measurements of oxygen consumption (VO2) and running speed in freely behaving animals. We estimated slope (incremental cost of transport [COT]) and intercept for regressions of power (the dependent variable, VO2/min) on speed for 49 males and 47 females, as well as their maximum VO2 and speeds during wheel running, under conditions mimicking those that these lines face during the selection protocol. For comparison, we also measured COT and maximum aerobic capacity (VO2max) during forced exercise on a motorized treadmill. As in previous studies, the increased wheel running of S lines was mainly attributable to increased average speed, with males also showing a tendency for increased time spent running. On a whole-animal basis, combined analysis of males and females indicated that COT during voluntary wheel running was significantly lower in the S lines (one-tailed P=0.015). However, mice from S lines are significantly smaller and attain higher maximum speeds on the wheels; with either body mass or maximum speed (or both) entered as a covariate, the statistical significance of the difference in COT is lost (one-tailed P> or =0.2). Thus, both body size and behavior are key components of the reduction in COT. Several statistically significant sex differences were observed, including lower COT and higher resting metabolic rate in females. In addition, maximum voluntary running speeds were negatively correlated with COT in females but not in males. Moreover, males (but not females) from the S lines exhibited

Toxicological evaluation of essential oil from the leaves of Croton tetradenius (Euphorbiaceae) on Aedes aegypti and Mus musculus.

PubMed

Carvalho, Karine da Silva; E Silva, Sandra Lúcia da Cunha; de Souza, Ivone Antonia; Gualberto, Simone Andrade; da Cruz, Rômulo Carlos Dantas; Dos Santos, Frances Regiane; de Carvalho, Mário Geraldo

2016-09-01

For control of Aedes aegypti, the main vector of dengue, botanical insecticides can be a viable alternative. Herein, we evaluated the chemical composition and insecticidal activity of the essential oils of the leaves of Croton tetradenius on Ae. aegypti larvae and adults. We also evaluated the acute toxicity in Mus musculus. The essential oil chemical analysis was performed using chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry and flame ionization detection. Female mice were used for assessing toxicity according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development's Test Guideline 423/2001. Doses administered to mice orally and intraperitoneally were 5, 50, 300, and 2000 mg kg(-1). There was a greater toxic effect on larvae (LC50 = 0.152 mg mL(-1) and LC90 = 0.297 mg mL(-1)) and on adults (LC50 = 1.842 mg mL(-1) and LC90 = 3.156 mg mL(-1)) of Ae. aegypti after 24 h of exposure, when compared to other periods of exposure. Chemical analysis revealed 26 components, with camphor (25.49 %) as the major component. The acute toxicity via the intraperitoneal route identified an LD50 = 200 mg kg(-1) and by the oral route an LD50 = 500 mg kg(-1). Thus, the essential oil of C. tetradenius presents insecticidal potential for Ae. aegypti and has high safety threshold at the concentrations evaluated in this study.

Sarcocystis jamaicensis n. sp., from Red-Tailed Hawks (Buteo jamaicensis) Definitive Host and IFN-γ Gene Knockout Mice as Experimental Intermediate Host.

PubMed

Verma, S K; von Dohlen, A Rosypal; Mowery, J D; Scott, D; Rosenthal, B M; Dubey, J P; Lindsay, D S

2017-10-01

Here, we report a new species of Sarcocystis with red-tailed hawk (RTH, Buteo jamaicensis) as the natural definitive host and IFN-γ gene knockout (KO) mice as an experimental intermediate host in which sarcocysts form in muscle. Two RTHs submitted to the Carolina Raptor Center, Huntersville, North Carolina, were euthanized because they could not be rehabilitated and released. Fully sporulated 12.5 × 9.9-μm sized sporocysts were found in intestinal scrapings of both hawks. Sporocysts were orally fed to laboratory-reared outbred Swiss Webster mice (SW, Mus musculus) and also to KO mice. The sporocysts were infective for KO mice but not for SW mice. All SW mice remained asymptomatic, and neither schizonts nor sarcocysts were found in any SW mice euthanized on days 54, 77, 103 (n = 2) or 137 post-inoculation (PI). The KO mice developed neurological signs and were necropsied between 52 to 68 days PI. Schizonts/merozoites were found in all KO mice euthanized on days 52, 55 (n = 3), 59, 61 (n = 2), 66, and 68 PI and they were confined to the brain. The predominant lesion was meningoencephalitis characterized by perivascular cuffs, granulomas, and necrosis of the neural tissue. The schizonts/merozoites were located in neural tissue and were apparently extravascular. Brain homogenates from infected KO mice were infective to KO mice by subcutaneous inoculation and when seeded on to CV-1 cells. Microscopic sarcocysts were found in skeletal muscles of 5 of 8 KO mice euthanized between 55-61 days PI. Only a few sarcocysts were detected. Sarcocysts were microscopic, up to 3.5 mm long. When viewed with light microscopy, the sarcocyst wall appeared thin (<1 μm thick) and smooth. By transmission electron microscopy, the sarcocyst wall classified as "type 1j" (new designation). Molecular characterization using 18S rRNA, 28S rRNA, ITS-1, and cox1 genes revealed a close relationship with Sarcocystis microti and Sarcocystis glareoli; both species infect birds as definitive hosts

Effects of Yangtze River source water on genomic polymorphisms of male mice detected by RAPD.

PubMed

Zhang, Xiaolin; Zhang, Zongyao; Zhang, Xuxiang; Wu, Bing; Zhang, Yan; Yang, Liuyan; Cheng, Shupei

2010-02-01

In order to evaluate the environmental health risk of drinking water from Yangtze River source, randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers were used to detect the effects of the source water on genomic polymorphisms of hepatic cell of male mice (Mus musculus, ICR). After the mice were fed with source water for 90 days, RAPD-polymerase chain reactions (PCRs) were performed on hepatic genomic DNA using 20 arbitrary primers. Totally, 189 loci were generated, including 151 polymorphic loci. On average, one PCR primer produced 5.3, 4.9 and 4.8 bands for each mouse in the control, the groups fed with source water and BaP solution, respectively. Compared with the control, feeding mice with Yangtze River source water caused 33 new loci to appear and 19 to disappear. Statistical analysis of RAPD printfingers revealed that Yangtze River source water exerted a significant influence on the hepatic genomic polymorphisms of male mice. This study suggests that RAPD is a reliable and sensitive method for the environmental health risk of Yangtze River source water.

The influence of snakehead (Channa striata) fish extract to increase hyperglycemic mice fertility based on spermatogenic cell composition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hidayati, Dewi; Abdulgani, Nurlita; Ashuri, Nova Maulidina; Sa'adah, Noor Nailis; Lukitasari, Maharani

2017-06-01

Reproductive dysfunction is recognized as a consequence of diabetes mellitus. Previous study revealed that snakehead (Channa striata) fish extract can repairing the pancreas histological structure which by that decreasing the blood glucose levels. Further research was conducted to determine the influence of snakehead fish extract (SHFE) to increasing the fertility of hyperglycemic mice based on spermatogenic cell composition. Twenty five adult mice (Mus musculus) were induced intraperitoneally to be hyperglycemic using alloxan monohydrate single dose of 190 mg/kg body weight. Hyperglycemic mice treated orally for 14 days using SHFE which grouped into five treatment dosages. Testicular histology were prepared using the paraffin methods and stained with Haematoxylin and Eosin. According to ANOVA and Tukey's test, it was found that spermatogenic cells population as well as its composition in the testis of mice that treated with SHFE are significantly higher than hyperglichemic mice. The highest dose of SHFE (0.15 ml/day), showed highest spermatogenic cell. All hyperglichemic mice that treated with SHFE exhibited the ratio composition of spermatogonia: spermatocytes: spermatids as same as with control (healthy mice) i.e. 1:1:3 respectively.

Redox homeostasis and respiratory metabolism in camels (Camelus dromedaries): comparisons with domestic goats and laboratory rats and mice.

PubMed

Al-Otaiba, Amna; John, Annie; Al-Belooshi, Thekra; Raza, Haider

2010-11-01

We have previously reported the occurrence of multiple forms of drug-metabolizing enzymes in camel tissues. Here, we investigate glutathione (GSH)-dependent redox homeostasis, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and mitochondrial respiratory functions in camel tissues and compare them with imported domestic goats and laboratory rats and mice. Cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP 2E1) and GSH-metabolizing enzymes were differentially expressed in the liver and kidney of these animals. Camel liver has significantly lower GSH pool than that in goats, rats and mice. Mitochondria isolated from the tissues of these animals showed a comparable ability to metabolize specific substrates for respiratory enzyme complexes I, II/III and IV. These complexes were metabolically more active in the kidney than in the liver of all the species. Furthermore, the activity of complex IV in camel tissues was significantly lower than in other species. On the other hand, complex II/III activity in camel kidney was higher compared to the other species. In addition, as expected, we observed that inhibitors of these enzyme complexes augment the production of mitochondrial ROS in camel and goat tissues. These results help to better understand the metabolic ability and adaptation in desert camels in comparison with domestic goats and laboratory rats and mice since they are exposed to different environmental and dietary conditions. Our study may also have implications in the pharmacology and toxicology of drugs and pollutants in these species.

The Genetic Basis of Inbreeding Avoidance in House Mice

PubMed Central

Sherborne, Amy L.; Thom, Michael D.; Paterson, Steve; Jury, Francine; Ollier, William E.R.; Stockley, Paula; Beynon, Robert J.; Hurst, Jane L.

2007-01-01

Summary Animals might be able to use highly polymorphic genetic markers to recognize very close relatives and avoid inbreeding [1, 2]. The major histocompatibility complex (MHC) is thought to provide such a marker [1, 3–6] because it influences individual scent in a broad range of vertebrates [6–10]. However, direct evidence is very limited [1, 6, 10, 11]. In house mice (Mus musculus domesticus), the major urinary protein (MUP) gene cluster provides another highly polymorphic scent signal of genetic identity [8, 12–15] that could underlie kin recognition. We demonstrate that wild mice breeding freely in seminatural enclosures show no avoidance of mates with the same MHC genotype when genome-wide similarity is controlled. Instead, inbreeding avoidance is fully explained by a strong deficit in successful matings between mice sharing both MUP haplotypes. Single haplotype sharing is not a good guide to the identification of full sibs, and there was no evidence of behavioral imprinting on maternal MHC or MUP haplotypes. This study, the first to examine wild animals with normal variation in MHC, MUP, and genetic background, demonstrates that mice use self-referent matching of a species-specific [16, 17] polymorphic signal to avoid inbreeding. Recognition of close kin as unsuitable mates might be more variable across species than a generic vertebrate-wide ability to avoid inbreeding based on MHC. PMID:17997307

Helicobacter Infection Significantly Alters Pregnancy Success in Laboratory Mice.

PubMed

Bracken, Tara C; Cooper, Caitlin A; Ali, Zil; Truong, Ha; Moore, Julie M

2017-05-01

Helicobacter spp. are gram-negative, helically shaped bacteria that cause gastric and enterohepatic infections in mammalian species. Although Helicobacter infection frequently is implicated to interfere with reproductive success, few experimental data support these claims. We therefore retrospectively investigated the effect of Helicobacter infection on murine pregnancy outcome after the identification of endemic Helicobacter infection in an animal research facility. Multiplex conventional PCR analysis was used to characterize Helicobacter infection status in one inbred and 2 transgenic strains of mice in 2 self-contained rooms assigned to the same investigator. Outcomes of timed-mating experiments were compared among Helicobacter spp.-infected and uninfected mice of the same strain; Helicobacter infection was eradicated from the colony through fostering with uninfected dams. Although Helicobacter infection affected fecundity in only one strain of transgenic mouse, the total number of embryos per gravid uterus was significantly reduced in C57BL/6J mice that were infected with a single Helicobacter species, H. typhlonius. Helicobacter infection was also associated with a significant increase in the number of resorbing embryos per uterus and significant decreases in pregnancy-associated weight gain relative to uninfected mice in C57BL6/J mice and one transgenic strain. Helicobacter spp.-infected mice of all tested strains exhibited higher frequency of intrauterine hemorrhaging relative to uninfected mice. These results indicate that naturally-acquired Helicobacter infection not only reduces the productivity of a research animal breeding colony, but also negatively impacts embryo health. Despite these deleterious effects, these data suggest that colonies can be rederived to be Helicobacter-free by Cesarean section and fostering with uninfected dams. This paper provides the first evidence that H. typhlonius infection is sufficient to interfere with reproductive success

Photoperiodic responses of depression-like behavior, the brain serotonergic system, and peripheral metabolism in laboratory mice.

PubMed

Otsuka, Tsuyoshi; Kawai, Misato; Togo, Yuki; Goda, Ryosei; Kawase, Takahiro; Matsuo, Haruka; Iwamoto, Ayaka; Nagasawa, Mao; Furuse, Mitsuhiro; Yasuo, Shinobu

2014-02-01

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is characterized by depression during specific seasons, generally winter. The pathophysiological mechanisms underlying SAD remain elusive due to a limited number of animal models with high availability and validity. Here we show that laboratory C57BL/6J mice display photoperiodic changes in depression-like behavior and brain serotonin content. C57BL/6J mice maintained under short-day conditions, as compared to those under long-day conditions, demonstrated prolonged immobility times in the forced swimming test with lower brain levels of serotonin and its precursor l-tryptophan. Furthermore, photoperiod altered multiple parameters reflective of peripheral metabolism, including the ratio of plasma l-tryptophan to the sum of other large neutral amino acids that compete for transport across the blood-brain barrier, responses of circulating glucose and insulin to glucose load, sucrose intake under restricted feeding condition, and sensitivity of the brain serotonergic system to peripherally administered glucose. These data suggest that the mechanisms underlying SAD involve the brain-peripheral tissue network, and C57BL/6J mice can serve as a powerful tool for investigating the link between seasons and mood. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Surface destabilisation by the invasive burrowing engineer Mus musculus on a sub-Antarctic island

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eriksson, Bert; Eldridge, David J.

2014-10-01

Invasive species are known to have substantial trophic effects on ecosystems and ecosystem processes. The invasion of the house mouse (Mus musculus) onto sub-Antarctic islands has had a devastating effect on plants, invertebrates, and birds with substantial changes in ecosystem functions. Less well understood, however, are the nontrophic, geomorphic effects of mice resulting from their burrowing activities. We examined the extent of burrow construction by M. musculus across an area of about 20 ha on Marion Island and the effects of burrows on water flow and sediment movement. We recorded a density of 0.59 ± 0.48 (mean ± SD) burrows m- 2, with more burrows at lower altitudes and shallower slopes, and twice the density in the solifluction risers (0.86 ± 0.54 m- 2) than the intervening terraces or treads (0.40 ± 0.51 m- 2). Most burrows were dug horizontally into the slope and tended to extend about 20 cm deep before turning. A very conservative estimate of sediment removed from burrows from this depth is 2.4 t ha- 1. However, taking into account more detailed data on burrow morphology based on excavations, actual amounts may be closer to 8.4 t ha- 1. Average soil displacement rate for a single burrow, measured over 5 days, was 0.18 kg burrow- 1 day- 1. Burrows acted as conduits for water and warmer air. Stones at burrow entrances were moved eight times farther by water (10.4 cm) than those not associated with burrows. Similarly, temperatures adjacent to burrow entrances were 4.1 °C higher than sites 10 cm away. Together our data indicate that mice are having substantial deleterious and geomorphic effects on sub-Antarctic ecosystems through their burrowing. With lower rates of mouse mortality resulting from warmer climates predicted under global climate models, we can expect an increase in damage resulting from mouse activity.

Diversity of Prdm9 Zinc Finger Array in Wild Mice Unravels New Facets of the Evolutionary Turnover of this Coding Minisatellite

PubMed Central

Buard, Jérôme; Rivals, Eric; Dunoyer de Segonzac, Denis; Garres, Charlotte; Caminade, Pierre; de Massy, Bernard; Boursot, Pierre

2014-01-01

In humans and mice, meiotic recombination events cluster into narrow hotspots whose genomic positions are defined by the PRDM9 protein via its DNA binding domain constituted of an array of zinc fingers (ZnFs). High polymorphism and rapid divergence of the Prdm9 gene ZnF domain appear to involve positive selection at DNA-recognition amino-acid positions, but the nature of the underlying evolutionary pressures remains a puzzle. Here we explore the variability of the Prdm9 ZnF array in wild mice, and uncovered a high allelic diversity of both ZnF copy number and identity with the caracterization of 113 alleles. We analyze features of the diversity of ZnF identity which is mostly due to non-synonymous changes at codons −1, 3 and 6 of each ZnF, corresponding to amino-acids involved in DNA binding. Using methods adapted to the minisatellite structure of the ZnF array, we infer a phylogenetic tree of these alleles. We find the sister species Mus spicilegus and M. macedonicus as well as the three house mouse (Mus musculus) subspecies to be polyphyletic. However some sublineages have expanded independently in Mus musculus musculus and M. m. domesticus, the latter further showing phylogeographic substructure. Compared to random genomic regions and non-coding minisatellites, none of these patterns appears exceptional. In silico prediction of DNA binding sites for each allele, overlap of their alignments to the genome and relative coverage of the different families of interspersed repeated elements suggest a large diversity between PRDM9 variants with a potential for highly divergent distributions of recombination events in the genome with little correlation to evolutionary distance. By compiling PRDM9 ZnF protein sequences in Primates, Muridae and Equids, we find different diversity patterns among the three amino-acids most critical for the DNA-recognition function, suggesting different diversification timescales. PMID:24454780

Disruption of SLX4-MUS81 Function Increases the Relative Biological Effectiveness of Proton Radiation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Liu, Qi; Underwood, Tracy S.A.; Kung, Jong

2016-05-01

Purpose: Clinical proton beam therapy has been based on the use of a generic relative biological effectiveness (RBE) of ∼1.1. However, emerging data have suggested that Fanconi anemia (FA) and homologous recombination pathway defects can lead to a variable RBE, at least in vitro. We investigated the role of SLX4 (FANCP), which acts as a docking platform for the assembly of multiple structure-specific endonucleases, in the response to proton irradiation. Methods and Materials: Isogenic cell pairs for the study of SLX4, XPF/ERCC1, MUS81, and SLX1 were irradiated at the mid-spread-out Bragg peak of a clinical proton beam (linear energy transfer 2.5 keV/μm)more » or with 250 kVp x-rays, and the clonogenic survival fractions were determined. To estimate the RBE of the protons relative to cobalt-60 photons (Co60Eq), we assigned a RBE(Co60Eq) of 1.1 to x-rays to correct the physical dose measured. Standard DNA repair foci assays were used to monitor the damage responses, and the cell cycle distributions were assessed by flow cytometry. The poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitor olaparib was used for comparison. Results: Loss of SLX4 function resulted in an enhanced proton RBE(Co60Eq) of 1.42 compared with 1.11 for wild-type cells (at a survival fraction of 0.1; P<.05), which correlated with increased persistent DNA double-strand breaks in cells in the S/G{sub 2} phase. Genetic analysis identified the SLX4-binding partner MUS81 as a mediator of resistance to proton radiation. Both proton irradiation and olaparib treatment resulted in a similar prolonged accumulation of RAD51 foci in SLX4/MUS81-deficient cells, suggesting a common defect in the repair of DNA replication fork-associated damage. Conclusions: A defect in the FA pathway at the level of SLX4 results in hypersensitivity to proton radiation, which is, at least in part, due to impaired MUS81-mediated processing of replication forks that stall at clustered DNA damage. In vivo and clinical studies are needed

New Metacentric Populations and Phylogenetic Hypotheses Involving Whole-Arm Reciprocal Translocation in Mus musculus domesticus from Sicily, Southern Italy.

PubMed

Castiglia, Riccardo; Capanna, Ernesto; Bezerra, Alexandra M R; Bizzoco, Domenico; Zambigli, Emanuela; Solano, Emanuela

2015-01-01

The house mouse Mus musculus domesticus is characterized by more than 100 metacentric populations, due to the occurrence of Robertsonian (Rb) fusions, together with the standard all-telocentric karyotype (2n = 40). We examined G-banded karyotypes of 18 mice from 10 localities in Sicily and describe 3 new metacentric populations: 'Ragusa Ibla' (IRAG), 2n = 33-36, Rb(2.4), Rb(5.6), Rb(9.16), Rb(13.17); 'Piana degli Albanesi' (IPIA), 2n = 23, Rb(1.18), Rb(2.15), Rb(3.5), Rb(4.12), Rb(6.11), Rb(7.8), Rb(9.16), Rb(10.14), Rb(13.17); 'Trapani' (ITRA), 2n = 22, Rb(1.18), Rb(2.15), Rb(3.7), Rb(4.12), Rb(5.9), Rb(6.11), Rb(8.16), Rb(10.14), Rb(13.17). Three mice belonged to the previously reported 'Castelbuono' race (ICAS), 2n = 24, which is very similar to the nearby 'Palermo' (IPAL) race, 2n = 26. Three Rb fusions not yet observed in wild mouse populations were identified: Rb(3.5), Rb(3.7) and Rb(5.9). Rb fusions shared among 4 races (IPIA, IRAG, ICAS, and IPAL) allowed us to describe their potential phylogenetic relationships. We obtained 2 alternative phylogenetic trees. The differences between them are mainly due to various modes of formation of IPIA and ITRA. In the first hypothesis, the specific Rb fusions occurred independently. In the second, those of IRAG originated from those of IPIA via whole-arm reciprocal translocations. © 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Benefits of 21% Oxygen Compared with 100% Oxygen for Delivery of Isoflurane to Mice (Mus musculus) and Rats (Rattus norvegicus)

PubMed Central

Wilding, Laura A; Hampel, Joe A; Khoury, Basma M; Kang, Stacey; Machado‑Aranda, David; Raghavendran, Krishnan; Nemzek, Jean A

2017-01-01

At research institutions, isoflurane delivered by precision vaporizer to a face mask is the standard for rodent surgery and for procedures with durations that exceed a few minutes. Pure oxygen is often used as the carrier gas for isoflurane anesthesia, despite documented complications from long-term 100% oxygen use in humans and known occupational safety risks. We therefore examined the effect of anesthetic delivery gas on physiologic variables in mice and rats. Rodents were anesthetized for 60 min with isoflurane delivered in either 21% or 100% oxygen by means of a nose cone. We noted no difference between carrier gasses in physiologic variables in mice, including body temperature, respiratory rate, mean arterial pressure, surgical recovery time, pH, or PaCO2.However, blood gas analysis revealed evidence of a ventilation–perfusion mismatch in the 100% oxygen group. Pressure–volume hysteresis and histomorphometric analyses confirmed the presence of increased atelectasis in mice that received 100% oxygen. Unlike mice, rats that received isoflurane in 100% oxygen had acute respiratory acidosis and elevated mean arterial pressure, but atelectasis was similar between carrier gasses. Our data suggest that both 100% and 21% oxygen are acceptable for the delivery of isoflurane to mice. However, mice anesthetized for studies focused on lung physiology or architecture would benefit from the delivery of isoflurane in 21% oxygen to reduce absorption atelectasis and the potential associated downstream inflammatory effects. For rats, delivery of isoflurane in 21% and 100% oxygen both caused perturbations in physiologic variables, and choosing a carrier gas is not straightforward. PMID:28315643

Evidence-based severity assessment: Impact of repeated versus single open-field testing on welfare in C57BL/6J mice.

PubMed

Bodden, Carina; Siestrup, Sophie; Palme, Rupert; Kaiser, Sylvia; Sachser, Norbert; Richter, S Helene

2018-01-15

According to current guidelines on animal experiments, a prospective assessment of the severity of each procedure is mandatory. However, so far, the classification of procedures into different severity categories mainly relies on theoretic considerations, since it is not entirely clear which of the various procedures compromise the welfare of animals, or, to what extent. Against this background, a systematic empirical investigation of the impact of each procedure, including behavioral testing, seems essential. Therefore, the present study was designed to elucidate the effects of repeated versus single testing on mouse welfare, using one of the most commonly used paradigms for behavioral phenotyping in behavioral neuroscience, the open-field test. In an independent groups design, laboratory mice (Mus musculus f. domestica) experienced either repeated, single, or no open-field testing - procedures that are assigned to different severity categories. Interestingly, testing experiences did not affect fecal corticosterone metabolites, body weights, elevated plus-maze or home cage behavior differentially. Thus, with respect to the assessed endocrinological, physical, and behavioral outcome measures, no signs of compromised welfare could be detected in mice that were tested in the open-field repeatedly, once, or, not at all. These findings challenge current classification guidelines and may, furthermore, stimulate systematic research on the severity of single procedures involving living animals. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Meiotic nucleolar cycle and chromatoid body formation during the rat (Rattus novergicus) and mouse (Mus musculus) spermiogenesis.

PubMed

Peruquetti, Rita Luiza; Assis, Isabella Mariana; Taboga, Sebastião Roberto; de Azeredo-Oliveira, Maria Tercília Vilela

2008-06-01

The aims of the present study were to follow the nucleolar cycle in spermiogenesis of the laboratory rodents Rattus novergicus and Mus musculus, to verify the relationship between the nucleolar component and chromatoid body (CB) formation and to investigate the function of this cytoplasmic supramolecular structure in spermatogenic haploid cells. Histological sections of adult seminiferous tubules were analyzed cytochemically by light microscopy and ultrastructural procedures by transmission electron microscopy. The results reveal that in early spermatids, the CB was visualized in association with the Golgi cisterns indicating that this structure may participate in the acrosome formation process. In late spermatids, the CB was observed near the axonema, a fact suggesting that this structure may support the formation of the spermatozoon tail. In conclusion, our data showed that there is disintegration of spermatid nucleoli at the beginning of spermatogenesis and a fraction of this nucleolar material migrates to the cytoplasm, where a specific structure is formed, known as the "chromatoid body", which, apparently, participates in some parts of the rodent spermiogenesis process.

Effect of Diet High in Coconut Oil on Cardiovascular Disease Risk in ApoE Knockout and Wild Type Mice (Mus musculus)

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-04-07

Objective: We evaluated the risk of cardiovascular disease in both control and proatherosclerotic mice consuming diets high in coconut oil. Methods...The mice were weighed and randomly assigned to receive a custom diet with either coconut oil or milk fat. Both diets were formulated to have the...significant differences were seen between knockout and wildtype mice in aorta score regardless of diet, and in liver score with coconut oil diet

LASP-04: Tolerance Evaluation of Experimental Compound in Kras/p53 Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma (PDAC) Mice | Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research

Cancer.gov

The Laboratory Animal Sciences Program will breed 18 KPC animals with the intent of generating a cohort of 12 animals with confirmed tumor-load matching the following enrollment criteria:female mice are considered eligible for enrollment when u

Bioaccumulation of metals in plants, arthropods, and mice at a seasonal wetland.

PubMed

Torres, K C; Johnson, M L

2001-11-01

Concentrations of arsenic, cadmium, copper, lead, and nickel were measured in soils, house mice (Mus musculus), and the main food items of this omnivorous mouse to examine the occurrence of these metals in selected components of a seasonal wetland. Soil concentrations of copper, lead, and (in some areas) nickel were elevated, but extractable soil concentrations indicated low bioavailability of metals. Levels of most metals in mice and composited arthropods were consistent with reference site concentrations from other studies. However, copper was found to be particularly mobile within the local ecosystem and accumulated in house mouse carcasses and composited arthropods at substantial levels. Metal residues in Scirpus robustus (alkali bulrush) roots exceeded those in seeds, consistent with patterns of bioaccumulation commonly observed in plants. Uptake and bioaccumulation factors for S. robustus seeds and roots, arthropods, and mouse carcasses and livers are reported. Concentrations of lead and nickel in S. robustus roots exhibited significant linear relationships with levels in soils. Copper levels in S. robustus seeds varied significantly with those in house mouse livers, suggesting that trophic transfer of copper from this food source to mice occurred. However, other spatial patterns of bioaccumulation in S. robustus and house mice relative to soil/seed concentrations were absent. Metal levels in house mice bore no relation to body weight or estimated age.

[Depressive-like state and sleep in laboratory mice].

PubMed

Strekalova, T V; Cespuglio, R; Koval'zon, V M

2008-01-01

In order to induce the state of anhedonia, a key symptom of depression, mice were subjected to a one-month stress procedure comprised of various stressors. Anhedonic state was defined by a reduction of preference for sucrose solution over tap water. Conventional cortical and neck-muscle electrodes were implanted to control and stressed animals under chloral-hydrate anesthesia. After a two-week recovery and habituation period, mice from chronically stressed group were re-subjected to five-day stress, and the anhedonic state was verified. As not all the stressed mice displayed a decrease in sucrose preference, animals were divided in two groups: stressed-non-anhedonic and stressed-anhedonic animals. Seven-day continuous polygraphic recording was carried out in animals from both stressed groups and the control group in recording chambers under conditions of 12/12-hour light/dark schedule. The anhedonic mice demonstrated a significant advanced shift in circadian distribution of paradoxical sleep and increased amount of paradoxical sleep during the light period. In the course of the dark period, the anhedonic group showed a slight but significant decrease in total amount of slow-wave sleep as compared to the non-anhedonic and control groups. The results suggest that the changes in sleep structure documented in the model of anhedonia are similar to those described for human depression.

Routine Habitat Change: A Source of Unrecognized Transient Alteration of Intestinal Microbiota in Laboratory Mice

PubMed Central

Ma, Betty W.; Bokulich, Nicholas A.; Castillo, Patricia A.; Kananurak, Anchasa; Underwood, Mark A.; Mills, David A.; Bevins, Charles L.

2012-01-01

The mammalian intestine harbors a vast, complex and dynamic microbial population, which has profound effects on host nutrition, intestinal function and immune response, as well as influence on physiology outside of the alimentary tract. Imbalance in the composition of the dense colonizing bacterial population can increase susceptibility to various acute and chronic diseases. Valuable insights on the association of the microbiota with disease critically depend on investigation of mouse models. Like in humans, the microbial community in the mouse intestine is relatively stable and resilient, yet can be influenced by environmental factors. An often-overlooked variable in research is basic animal husbandry, which can potentially alter mouse physiology and experimental outcomes. This study examined the effects of common husbandry practices, including food and bedding alterations, as well as facility and cage changes, on the gut microbiota over a short time course of five days using three culture-independent techniques, quantitative PCR, terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (TRFLP) and next generation sequencing (NGS). This study detected a substantial transient alteration in microbiota after the common practice of a short cross-campus facility transfer, but found no comparable alterations in microbiota within 5 days of switches in common laboratory food or bedding, or following an isolated cage change in mice acclimated to their housing facility. Our results highlight the importance of an acclimation period following even simple transfer of mice between campus facilities, and highlights that occult changes in microbiota should be considered when imposing husbandry variables on laboratory animals. PMID:23082164

Routine habitat change: a source of unrecognized transient alteration of intestinal microbiota in laboratory mice.

PubMed

Ma, Betty W; Bokulich, Nicholas A; Castillo, Patricia A; Kananurak, Anchasa; Underwood, Mark A; Mills, David A; Bevins, Charles L

2012-01-01

The mammalian intestine harbors a vast, complex and dynamic microbial population, which has profound effects on host nutrition, intestinal function and immune response, as well as influence on physiology outside of the alimentary tract. Imbalance in the composition of the dense colonizing bacterial population can increase susceptibility to various acute and chronic diseases. Valuable insights on the association of the microbiota with disease critically depend on investigation of mouse models. Like in humans, the microbial community in the mouse intestine is relatively stable and resilient, yet can be influenced by environmental factors. An often-overlooked variable in research is basic animal husbandry, which can potentially alter mouse physiology and experimental outcomes. This study examined the effects of common husbandry practices, including food and bedding alterations, as well as facility and cage changes, on the gut microbiota over a short time course of five days using three culture-independent techniques, quantitative PCR, terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (TRFLP) and next generation sequencing (NGS). This study detected a substantial transient alteration in microbiota after the common practice of a short cross-campus facility transfer, but found no comparable alterations in microbiota within 5 days of switches in common laboratory food or bedding, or following an isolated cage change in mice acclimated to their housing facility. Our results highlight the importance of an acclimation period following even simple transfer of mice between campus facilities, and highlights that occult changes in microbiota should be considered when imposing husbandry variables on laboratory animals.

Spontaneous bacterial and fungal infections in genetically engineered mice: Is Escherichia coli an emerging pathogen in laboratory mouse?

PubMed

Benga, Laurentiu; Benten, W Peter M; Engelhardt, Eva; Gougoula, Christina; Sager, Martin

2015-01-01

The impact of particular microbes on genetically engineered mice depends on the genotype and the environment. Infections resulting in clinical disease have an obvious impact on animal welfare and experimentation. In this study, we investigated the bacterial and fungal aetiology of spontaneous clinical disease of infectious origin among the genetically engineered mice from our institution in relation to their genotype. A total of 63 mice belonging to 33 different mice strains, from severe immunodeficient to wild-type, were found to display infections as the primary cause leading to their euthanasia. The necropsies revealed abscesses localized subcutaneously as well as in the kidney, preputial glands, seminal vesicles, in the uterus, umbilicus or in the lung. In addition, pneumonia, endometritis and septicaemia cases were recorded. Escherichia coli was involved in 21 of 44 (47.72%) of the lesions of bacterial origin, whereas [Pasteurella] pneumotropica was isolated from 19 of 44 (43.18%) cases. The infections with the two agents mentioned above included three cases of mixed infection with both pathogens. Staphylococcus aureus was considered responsible for five of 44 (11.36%) cases whereas Enterobacter cloacae was found to cause lesions in two of 44 (4.54%) mice. Overall, 16 of the 44 (36.36%) cases of bacterial aetiology affected genetically engineered mice without any explicit immunodeficiency or wild-type strains. The remaining 19 cases of interstitial pneumonia were caused by Pneumocystis murina. In conclusion, the susceptibility of genetically modified mice to opportunistic infections has to be regarded with precaution, regardless of the type of genetic modification performed. Beside the classical opportunists, such as [Pasteurella] pneumotropica and Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli should as well be closely monitored to evaluate whether it represents an emerging pathogen in the laboratory mouse.

Comparison of Submental Blood Collection with the Retroorbital and Submandibular Methods in Mice (Mus musculus)

PubMed Central

Regan, Rainy D; Fenyk-Melody, Judy E; Tran, Sam M; Chen, Guang; Stocking, Kim L

2016-01-01

Nonterminal blood sample collection of sufficient volume and quality for research is complicated in mice due to their small size and anatomy. Large (>100 μL) nonterminal volumes of unhemolyzed or unclotted blood currently are typically collected from the retroorbital sinus or submandibular plexus. We developed a third method—submental blood collection—which is similar in execution to the submandibular method but with minor changes in animal restraint and collection location. Compared with other techniques, submental collection is easier to perform due to the direct visibility of the target vessels, which are located in a sparsely furred region. Compared with the submandibular method, the submental method did not differ regarding weight change and clotting score but significantly decreased hemolysis and increased the overall number of high-quality samples. The submental method was performed with smaller lancets for the majority of the bleeds, yet resulted in fewer repeat collection attempts, fewer insufficient samples, and less extraneous blood loss and was qualitatively less traumatic. Compared with the retroorbital technique, the submental method was similar regarding weight change but decreased hemolysis, clotting, and the number of overall high-quality samples; however the retroorbital method resulted in significantly fewer incidents of insufficient sample collection. Extraneous blood loss was roughly equivalent between the submental and retroorbital methods. We conclude that the submental method is an acceptable venipuncture technique for obtaining large, nonterminal volumes of blood from mice. PMID:27657712

Abnormalities in the WFU strain of Taenia crassiceps (Cyclophyllidea: Taeniidae) following years of propagation in mice.

PubMed

Aguilar-Vega, L; García-Prieto, L; Zurabian, R

2016-09-01

Asexually proliferating Taenia crassiceps (Zeder, 1800) metacestodes isolated within past decades have been successfully sub-cultured under experimental conditions using Mus musculus Linnaeus, 1758 mice. However, during their development, morphological irregularities of scolex structures have been reported in two of the three strains of this cestode species maintained in mice - ORF and KBS. The main goal of this work is to describe the abnormalities observed in a sample of 118 cysticerci of the third T. crassiceps strain used at present - WFU. Morphological abnormalities were detected in 39.8% of the evaginated scoleces; they consisted of supernumerary suckers (n= 2), duplicated (n= 2) or absent rostellum (n= 1), as well as absent or aberrant (n= 29) hooks, which were significantly shorter when compared to the large and short hook lengths referred to in the literature.

Health Evaluation of Experimental Laboratory Mice.

PubMed

Burkholder, Tanya; Foltz, Charmaine; Karlsson, Eleanor; Linton, C Garry; Smith, Joanne M

2012-06-01

Good science and good animal care go hand in hand. A sick or distressed animal does not produce the reliable results that a healthy and unstressed animal produces. This unit describes the essentials of assessing mouse health, colony health surveillance, common conditions, and determination of appropriate endpoints. Understanding the health and well-being of the mice used in research enables the investigator to optimize research results and animal care.

Exploration of the Genetic Organization of Morphological Modularity on the Mouse Mandible Using a Set of Interspecific Recombinant Congenic Strains Between C57BL/6 and Mice of the Mus spretus Species

PubMed Central

Burgio, Gaëtan; Baylac, Michel; Heyer, Evelyne; Montagutelli, Xavier

2012-01-01

Morphological integration and modularity within semi-autonomous modules are essential mechanisms for the evolution of morphological traits. However, the genetic makeup responsible for the control of variational modularity is still relatively unknown. In our study, we tested the hypothesis that the genetic variation for mandible shape clustered into two morphogenetic components: the alveolar group and the ascending ramus. We used the mouse as a model system to investigate genetics determinants of mandible shape. To do this, we used a combination of geometric morphometric tools and a set of 18 interspecific recombinant congenic strains (IRCS) derived from the distantly related species, Mus spretus SEG/Pas and Mus musculus C57BL/6. Quantitative trait loci (QTL) analysis comparing mandible morphometry between the C57BL/6 and the IRCSs identified 42 putative SEG/Pas segments responsible for the genetic variation. The magnitude of the QTL effects was dependent on the proportion of SEG/Pas genome inherited. Using a multivariate correlation coefficient adapted for modularity assessment and a two-block partial least squares analysis to explore the morphological integration, we found that these QTL clustered into two well-integrated morphogenetic groups, corresponding to the ascending ramus and the alveolar region. Together, these results provide evidence that the mouse mandible is subjected to genetic coordination in a modular manner. PMID:23050236

XY females do better than the XX in the African pygmy mouse, Mus minutoides.

PubMed

Saunders, Paul A; Perez, Julie; Rahmoun, Massilva; Ronce, Ophélie; Crochet, Pierre-André; Veyrunes, Frédéric

2014-07-01

All therian mammals have a similar XY/XX sex-determination system except for a dozen species. The African pygmy mouse, Mus minutoides, harbors an unconventional system in which all males are XY, and there are three types of females: the usual XX but also XX* and X*Y ones (the asterisk designates a sex-reversal mutation on the X chromosome). The long-term evolution of such a system is a paradox, because X*Y females are expected to face high reproductive costs (e.g., meiotic disruption and loss of unviable YY embryos), which should prevent invasion and maintenance of a sex-reversal mutation. Hence, mechanisms for compensating for the costs could have evolved in M. minutoides. Data gathered from our laboratory colony revealed that X*Y females do compensate and even show enhanced reproductive performance in comparison to the XX and XX*; they produce significantly more offspring due to (i) a higher probability of breeding, (ii) an earlier first litter, and (iii) a larger litter size, linked to (iv) a greater ovulation rate. These findings confirm that rare conditions are needed for an atypical sex-determination mechanism to evolve in mammals, and provide valuable insight into understanding modifications of systems with highly heteromorphic sex chromosomes. © 2014 The Author(s). Evolution © 2014 The Society for the Study of Evolution.

Low-Pathogenic Avian Influenza Viruses in Wild House Mice

PubMed Central

Shriner, Susan A.; VanDalen, Kaci K.; Mooers, Nicole L.; Ellis, Jeremy W.; Sullivan, Heather J.; Root, J. Jeffrey; Pelzel, Angela M.; Franklin, Alan B.

2012-01-01

Background Avian influenza viruses are known to productively infect a number of mammal species, several of which are commonly found on or near poultry and gamebird farms. While control of rodent species is often used to limit avian influenza virus transmission within and among outbreak sites, few studies have investigated the potential role of these species in outbreak dynamics. Methodology/Principal Findings We trapped and sampled synanthropic mammals on a gamebird farm in Idaho, USA that had recently experienced a low pathogenic avian influenza outbreak. Six of six house mice (Mus musculus) caught on the outbreak farm were presumptively positive for antibodies to type A influenza. Consequently, we experimentally infected groups of naïve wild-caught house mice with five different low pathogenic avian influenza viruses that included three viruses derived from wild birds and two viruses derived from chickens. Virus replication was efficient in house mice inoculated with viruses derived from wild birds and more moderate for chicken-derived viruses. Mean titers (EID50 equivalents/mL) across all lung samples from seven days of sampling (three mice/day) ranged from 103.89 (H3N6) to 105.06 (H4N6) for the wild bird viruses and 102.08 (H6N2) to 102.85 (H4N8) for the chicken-derived viruses. Interestingly, multiple regression models indicated differential replication between sexes, with significantly (p<0.05) higher concentrations of avian influenza RNA found in females compared with males. Conclusions/Significance Avian influenza viruses replicated efficiently in wild-caught house mice without adaptation, indicating mice may be a risk pathway for movement of avian influenza viruses on poultry and gamebird farms. Differential virus replication between males and females warrants further investigation to determine the generality of this result in avian influenza disease dynamics. PMID:22720076

Glutamate taste and appetite in laboratory mice: physiologic and genetic analyses1234

PubMed Central

Bachmanov, Alexander A; Inoue, Masashi; Ji, Hong; Murata, Yuko; Tordoff, Michael G; Beauchamp, Gary K

2009-01-01

This article provides an overview of our studies of variation in voluntary glutamate consumption in mice. In 2-bottle preference tests, mice from the C57BL/6ByJ (B6) strain consume more monosodium l-glutamate (MSG) than do mice from the 129P3/J (129) strain. We used these mice to study physiologic and genetic mechanisms that underlie the strain differences in glutamate intake. Our genetic analyses showed that differences between B6 mice and 129 mice in MSG consumption are unrelated to strain variation in consumption of sodium or sweeteners and therefore are attributed to mechanisms specific for glutamate. These strain differences could be due to variation in responses to either taste or postingestive effects of glutamate. To examine the role of taste responsiveness, we measured MSG-evoked activity in gustatory nerves and showed that it is similar in B6 and 129 mice. On the other hand, strain-specific postingestive effects of glutamate were evident from our finding that exposure to MSG increases its consumption in B6 mice and decreases its consumption in 129 mice. We therefore examined whether B6 mice and 129 mice differ in postingestive metabolism of glutamate. We showed that, after intragastric administration of MSG, the MSG is preferentially metabolized through gluconeogenesis in B6 mice, whereas thermogenesis is the predominant process for 129 mice. We hypothesize that a process related to gluconeogenesis of the ingested glutamate generates the rewarding stimulus, which probably occurs in the liver before glucose enters the general circulation, and that the glutamate-induced postingestive thermogenesis generates an aversive stimulus. Our animal model studies raise the question of whether humans also vary in glutamate metabolism in a manner that influences their glutamate preference, consumption, and postingestive processing. PMID:19571213

The genomic ancestry, landscape genetics and invasion history of introduced mice in New Zealand

PubMed Central

Russell, James C.; King, Carolyn M.

2018-01-01

The house mouse (Mus musculus) provides a fascinating system for studying both the genomic basis of reproductive isolation, and the patterns of human-mediated dispersal. New Zealand has a complex history of mouse invasions, and the living descendants of these invaders have genetic ancestry from all three subspecies, although most are primarily descended from M. m. domesticus. We used the GigaMUGA genotyping array (approximately 135 000 loci) to describe the genomic ancestry of 161 mice, sampled from 34 locations from across New Zealand (and one Australian city—Sydney). Of these, two populations, one in the south of the South Island, and one on Chatham Island, showed complete mitochondrial lineage capture, featuring two different lineages of M. m. castaneus mitochondrial DNA but with only M. m. domesticus nuclear ancestry detectable. Mice in the northern and southern parts of the North Island had small traces (approx. 2–3%) of M. m. castaneus nuclear ancestry, and mice in the upper South Island had approximately 7–8% M. m. musculus nuclear ancestry including some Y-chromosomal ancestry—though no detectable M. m. musculus mitochondrial ancestry. This is the most thorough genomic study of introduced populations of house mice yet conducted, and will have relevance to studies of the isolation mechanisms separating subspecies of mice. PMID:29410804

A selfish genetic element influencing longevity correlates with reactive behavioural traits in female house mice (Mus domesticus).

PubMed

Auclair, Yannick; König, Barbara; Lindholm, Anna K

2013-01-01

According to theory in life-history and animal personality, individuals with high fitness expectations should be risk-averse, while individuals with low fitness expectations should be more bold. In female house mice, a selfish genetic element, the t haplotype, is associated with increased longevity under natural conditions, representing an appropriate case study to investigate this recent theory empirically. Following theory, females heterozygous for the t haplotype (+/t) are hypothesised to express more reactive personality traits and be more shy, less explorative and less active compared to the shorter-lived homozygous wildtype females (+/+). As males of different haplotype do not differ in survival, no similar pattern is expected. We tested these predictions by quantifying boldness, exploration, activity, and energetic intake in both +/t and +/+ mice. +/t females, unlike +/+ ones, expressed some reactive-like personality traits: +/t females were less active, less prone to form an exploratory routine and tended to ingest less food. Taken together these results suggest that differences in animal personality may contribute to the survival advantage observed in +/t females but fail to provide full empirical support for recent theory.

[Effect of the Industrial Nanoparticles TiO 2 , SiO 2 and ZnO on Cell Viability and Gene Expression in Red Bone Marrow of Mus Musculus].

PubMed

Zarria-Romero, Jacquelyne; Osorio, Ana; Pino, José; Shiga, Betty; Vivas-Ruiz, Dan

2017-01-01

To evaluate the effect of ZnO, TiO2 and SiO2 nanoparticles on cell viability and expression of the interleukin 7, interleukin 3, and granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) genes in Mus musculus. Red bone marrow was extracted from five Balb/c mice for the analysis of cell viability using the MTT test. The mice were divided into two groups of five each: one group was inoculated intraperitoneally with 0.5, 1.0, 2.5, 5.0, and 10 mg/kg of ZnO and SiO2 nanoparticles, respectively, and the other group was inoculated with 5.0, 10.0, 15.0, 20.0, and 25 mg/kg of TiO2 nanoparticles, respectively. Thirty hours later, RNA was extracted from the red bone marrow of the mice in both groups for gene expression analysis using quantitative PCR and RT-PCR. ZnO and SiO2 nanoparticles reduced cell viability in a dose-dependent manner by 37% and 26%, respectively, starting at a dose of 1 mg/kg. TiO2 nanoparticles at 5 mg/kg and 10 mg/kg reduced the gene expression of interleukins 7 and 3 by 55.3% and 70.2%, respectively, and SiO2 nanoparticles caused the greatest decrease (91%) in the expression of GM-CSF. ZnO nanoparticles reduced the expression of GM-CSF starting at doses of 20 mg/kg and 25 mg/kg. ZnO, SiO2 and TiO2 nanoparticles affect cell viability and gene expression in the mouse bone marrow.

Physiological and Pathological Impact of Blood Sampling by Retro-Bulbar Sinus Puncture and Facial Vein Phlebotomy in Laboratory Mice

PubMed Central

Holst, Birgitte; Hau, Jann; Rozell, Björn; Abelson, Klas Stig Peter

2014-01-01

Retro-bulbar sinus puncture and facial vein phlebotomy are two widely used methods for blood sampling in laboratory mice. However, the animal welfare implications associated with these techniques are currently debated, and the possible physiological and pathological implications of blood sampling using these methods have been sparsely investigated. Therefore, this study was conducted to assess and compare the impacts of blood sampling by retro-bulbar sinus puncture and facial vein phlebotomy. Blood was obtained from either the retro-bulbar sinus or the facial vein from male C57BL/6J mice at two time points, and the samples were analyzed for plasma corticosterone. Body weights were measured at the day of blood sampling and the day after blood sampling, and the food consumption was recorded automatically during the 24 hours post-procedure. At the end of study, cheeks and orbital regions were collected for histopathological analysis to assess the degree of tissue trauma. Mice subjected to facial vein phlebotomy had significantly elevated plasma corticosterone levels at both time points in contrast to mice subjected to retro-bulbar sinus puncture, which did not. Both groups of sampled mice lost weight following blood sampling, but the body weight loss was higher in mice subjected to facial vein phlebotomy. The food consumption was not significantly different between the two groups. At gross necropsy, subcutaneous hematomas were found in both groups and the histopathological analyses revealed extensive tissue trauma after both facial vein phlebotomy and retro-bulbar sinus puncture. This study demonstrates that both blood sampling methods have a considerable impact on the animals' physiological condition, which should be considered whenever blood samples are obtained. PMID:25426941

The ecology of immune state in a wild mammal, Mus musculus domesticus.

PubMed

Abolins, Stephen; Lazarou, Luke; Weldon, Laura; Hughes, Louise; King, Elizabeth C; Drescher, Paul; Pocock, Michael J O; Hafalla, Julius C R; Riley, Eleanor M; Viney, Mark

2018-04-01

The immune state of wild animals is largely unknown. Knowing this and what affects it is important in understanding how infection and disease affects wild animals. The immune state of wild animals is also important in understanding the biology of their pathogens, which is directly relevant to explaining pathogen spillover among species, including to humans. The paucity of knowledge about wild animals' immune state is in stark contrast to our exquisitely detailed understanding of the immunobiology of laboratory animals. Making an immune response is costly, and many factors (such as age, sex, infection status, and body condition) have individually been shown to constrain or promote immune responses. But, whether or not these factors affect immune responses and immune state in wild animals, their relative importance, and how they interact (or do not) are unknown. Here, we have investigated the immune ecology of wild house mice-the same species as the laboratory mouse-as an example of a wild mammal, characterising their adaptive humoral, adaptive cellular, and innate immune state. Firstly, we show how immune variation is structured among mouse populations, finding that there can be extensive immune discordance among neighbouring populations. Secondly, we identify the principal factors that underlie the immunological differences among mice, showing that body condition promotes and age constrains individuals' immune state, while factors such as microparasite infection and season are comparatively unimportant. By applying a multifactorial analysis to an immune system-wide analysis, our results bring a new and unified understanding of the immunobiology of a wild mammal.

Mfsd14a (Hiat1) gene disruption causes globozoospermia and infertility in male mice.

PubMed

Doran, Joanne; Walters, Cara; Kyle, Victoria; Wooding, Peter; Hammett-Burke, Rebecca; Colledge, William Henry

2016-07-01

The Mfsd14a gene, previously called Hiat1, encodes a transmembrane protein of unknown function with homology to the solute carrier protein family. To study the function of the MFSD14A protein, mutant mice (Mus musculus, strain 129S6Sv/Ev) were generated with the Mfsd14a gene disrupted with a LacZ reporter gene. Homozygous mutant mice are viable and healthy, but males are sterile due to a 100-fold reduction in the number of spermatozoa in the vas deferens. Male mice have adequate levels of testosterone and show normal copulatory behaviour. The few spermatozoa that are formed show rounded head defects similar to those found in humans with globozoospermia. Spermatogenesis proceeds normally up to the round spermatid stage, but the subsequent structural changes associated with spermiogenesis are severely disrupted with failure of acrosome formation, sperm head condensation and mitochondrial localization to the mid-piece of the sperm. Staining for β-galactosidase activity as a surrogate for Mfsd14a expression indicates expression in Sertoli cells, suggesting that MFSD14A may transport a solute from the bloodstream that is required for spermiogenesis. © 2016 Society for Reproduction and Fertility.

Sperm midpiece length predicts sperm swimming velocity in house mice.

PubMed

Firman, Renée C; Simmons, Leigh W

2010-08-23

Evolutionary biologists have argued that there should be a positive relationship between sperm size and sperm velocity, and that these traits influence a male's sperm competitiveness. However, comparative analyses investigating the evolutionary associations between sperm competition risk and sperm morphology have reported inconsistent patterns of association, and in vitro sperm competition experiments have further confused the issue; in some species, males with longer sperm achieve more competitive fertilization, while in other species males with shorter sperm have greater sperm competitiveness. Few investigations have attempted to address this problem. Here, we investigated the relationship between sperm morphology and sperm velocity in house mice (Mus domesticus). We conducted in vitro sperm velocity assays on males from established selection lines, and found that sperm midpiece size was the only phenotypic predictor of sperm swimming velocity.

The effect of multiple simple Robertsonian heterozygosity on chromosome pairing and fertility of wild-stock house mice (Mus musculus domesticus).

PubMed

Wallace, B M N; Searle, J B; Everett, C A

2002-01-01

The influence of Robertsonian (Rb) heterozygosity on fertility has been the subject of much study in the house mouse. However, these studies have been largely directed at single simple heterozygotes (heterozygous for a single Rb metacentric) or complex heterozygotes (heterozygous for several to many metacentrics which share common chromosome arms). In this paper we describe studies on male multiple simple heterozygotes, specifically the F(1) products of crosses between wild-stock mice homozygous for four or seven metacentrics and wild-stock mice with a standard all-acrocentric karyotype; these F(1) products were characterized by four and seven trivalents at meiosis I, respectively. Mice with the same karyotype, but two different genetic backgrounds were examined. Although a range of meiotic and fertility studies were conducted, particular emphasis was paid to analysis of chromosome pairing, previously not well-described in multiple simple heterozygous mice. The progression of spermatocytes through prophase I was followed by electron microscopy of surface spread material. As previously shown for single simple Rb heterozygotes, the trivalents that characterize multiple simple heterozygotes initially showed delayed pairing of the centromeric region and later showed side arm formation, resulting from non-homologous pairing by the centromeric ends of the acrocentric chromosomes. In the four trivalent groups of mice, 15 and 32% of trivalents showed unpairing in the centromeric region at mid pachytene; equivalent values were 29 and 39% for the seven trivalent groups. Pairing abnormalities (largely attachments and interlocks between trivalents and between a trivalent and the XY configuration) were observed in 18 and 23% of mid pachytene cells in the four trivalent groups and 36 and 49% of cells in the seven trivalent groups. The greater level of pachytene irregularity (unpairing and pairing abnormalities) in seven versus four trivalent heterozygotes was mirrored in terms

Molecular evidence that the spiny mouse (Acomys) is more closely related to gerbils (Gerbillinae) than to true mice (Murinae).

PubMed Central

Chevret, P; Denys, C; Jaeger, J J; Michaux, J; Catzeflis, F M

1993-01-01

Spiny mice of the genus Acomys traditionally have been classified as members of the Murinae, a subfamily of rodents that also includes rats and mice with which spiny mice share a complex set of morphological characters, including a unique molar pattern. The origin and evolution of this molar pattern, documented by many fossils from Southern Asia, support the hypothesis of the monophyly of Acomys and all other Murinae. This view has been challenged by immunological studies that have suggested that Acomys is as distantly related to mice (Mus) as are other subfamilies (e.g., hamsters: Cricetinae) of the muroid rodents. We present molecular evidence derived from DNA.DNA hybridization data that indicate that the spiny mouse Acomys and two African genera of Murinae, Uranomys and Lophuromys, constitute a monophyletic clade, a view that was recently suggested on the basis of dental characters. However, our DNA.DNA hybridization data also indicate that the spiny mice (Acomys) are more closely related to gerbils (Gerbillinae) than to the true mice and rats (Murinae) with which they have been classified. Because Acomys and the brush-furred mice Uranomys and Lophuromys share no derived morphological characters with the Gerbillinae, their murine morphology must have evolved by convergence, including the molar pattern previously considered to support the monophyly of the Murinae. PMID:8475093

Investigation and identification of etiologies involved in the development of acquired hydronephrosis in aged laboratory mice with the use of high-frequency ultrasound imaging

PubMed Central

Springer, Danielle A.; Allen, Michele; Hoffman, Victoria; Brinster, Lauren; Starost, Matthew F.; Bryant, Mark; Eckhaus, Michael

2014-01-01

Laboratory mice develop naturally occurring lesions that affect biomedical research. Hydronephrosis is a recognized pathologic abnormality of the mouse kidney. Acquired hydronephrosis can affect any mouse, as it is caused by any naturally occurring disease that impairs free urine flow. Many etiologies leading to this condition are of particular significance to aging mice. Non-invasive ultrasound imaging detects renal pelvic dilation, renal enlargement, and parenchymal loss for pre-mortem identification of this condition. High-frequency ultrasound transducers produce high-resolution images of small structures, ideal for detecting organ pathology in mice. Using a 40 MHz linear array transducer, we obtained high-resolution images of a diversity of pathologic lesions occurring within the abdomen of seven geriatric mice with acquired hydronephrosis that enabled a determination of the underlying etiology. Etiologies diagnosed from the imaging results include pyelonephritis, neoplasia, urolithiasis, mouse urologic syndrome, and spontaneous hydronephrosis, and were confirmed at necropsy. A retrospective review of abdominal scans from an additional 149 aging mice shows that the most common etiologies associated with acquired hydronephrosis are mouse urologic syndrome and abdominal neoplasia. This report highlights the utility of high-frequency ultrasound for surveying research mice for age-related pathology, and is the first comprehensive report of multiple cases of acquired hydronephrosis in mice. PMID:25143818

Assessing the welfare of laboratory mice in their home environment using animal-based measures--a benchmarking tool.

PubMed

Spangenberg, Elin M F; Keeling, Linda J

2016-02-01

Welfare problems in laboratory mice can be a consequence of an ongoing experiment, or a characteristic of a particular genetic line, but in some cases, such as breeding animals, they are most likely to be a result of the design and management of the home cage. Assessment of the home cage environment is commonly performed using resource-based measures, like access to nesting material. However, animal-based measures (related to the health status and behaviour of the animals) can be used to assess the current welfare of animals regardless of the inputs applied (i.e. the resources or management). The aim of this study was to design a protocol for assessing the welfare of laboratory mice using only animal-based measures. The protocol, to be used as a benchmarking tool, assesses mouse welfare in the home cage and does not contain parameters related to experimental situations. It is based on parameters corresponding to the 12 welfare criteria established by the Welfare Quality® project. Selection of animal-based measures was performed by scanning existing published, web-based and informal protocols, and by choosing parameters that matched these criteria, were feasible in practice and, if possible, were already validated indicators of mouse welfare. The parameters should identify possible animal welfare problems and enable assessment directly in an animal room during cage cleaning procedures, without the need for extra equipment. Thermal comfort behaviours and positive emotional states are areas where more research is needed to find valid, reliable and feasible animal-based measures. © The Author(s) 2015.

Fluoride Exposure Aggravates the Testicular Damage and Sperm Quality in Diabetic Mice: Protective Role of Ginseng and Banaba.

PubMed

Sm, Saumya; Mahaboob Basha, P

2017-06-01

Fluoride toxicity is known to pose infertility in fluoride-intoxicated animals as well as in people residing in fluoride endemic zones. The present study addresses the degree of impairments caused due to co-exposure of high fluoride toxicity in diabetic mice. Swiss mice, Mus musculus, were subjected to fluoride toxicity by providing fluoride-supplemented drinking water (600 ppm NaF) for a period of 30 days after the confirmation of streptozotocin-induced diabetes(STZ, 50 mg/kgbw). Consequently, aggravated hyperglycemia and tissue fluoride accumulation were witnessed in fluoride-intoxicated diabetic mice; later, these toxicated mice were treated with ginseng extract (GE) and banaba leaf extract, (BLE) at dose of 150 mg/kgbw/day alone and in combination for 15 and 30-day duration to check the efficacy of phytoextracts in reversing the toxicity. The spermatological indices studied, such as sperm density, motility, viability and morphology as well as the testicular biochemical parameters showed enhanced impairment in reproductive status of fluoride-intoxicated diabetic mice. Further, 15-days administration of GE and BLE in combination at a dose of 150 mg/kgbw/day was found to be beneficial in normalizing the alterations observed upon fluoride intoxication to diabetic mice. However, the correlates showed moderate association between blood glucose levels and the spermatological as well as biochemical indices wherein the tissue fluoride levels correlate least.

LASP-06: Drug Efficacy in a Three-Arm Survival Study in Kras/p53 Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma (PDAC) Mice | Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research

Cancer.gov

The Laboratory Animal Sciences Program will induce breed 50 KPC animals with the intent of generating a cohort of 40 animals with confirmed tumor-load matching the following enrollment criteria:female mice are considered eligible for enrollment

Preference for social contact versus environmental enrichment in male laboratory mice.

PubMed

Van Loo, P L P; Van de Weerd, H A; Van Zutphen, L F M; Baumans, V

2004-04-01

Due to their aggressive nature, male mice are less frequently used than female mice in biomedical research. When aggressive males are being used, individual housing is common practice. The question arises whether this is an acceptable housing for a social species. The present study was designed to gain more insight into the nature of inter-male social contact and into the potential of a form of environmental enrichment (nesting material) to compensate for the lack of social contact. In a series of tests, we analysed whether male mice of different ages preferred to spend time (1) near a familiar cage mate versus an empty cage, or (2) near to a familiar cage mate versus direct contact with nesting material (tissues). Dwelling time in each of the test cages and sleeping sites was recorded, as was the behaviour of the test mice. Results indicated that when other conditions were similar, male mice preferred to sleep in close proximity to their familiar cage mate. Furthermore, the need to engage in active social behaviour increased with age. Tissues were used to a large extent for sleeping and sleep-related behaviour. It is concluded that single housing in order to avoid aggression between male mice is a solution with evident negative consequences for the animals. When individual housing is inevitable due to excessive aggressive behaviour, the presence of nesting material could partly compensate for the deprivation of social contact.

Mate Choice in Mus musculus Is Relative and Dependent on the Estrous State

PubMed Central

Zinck, Léa; Lima, Susana Q.

2013-01-01

Mate choice is a critical behavioral decision process with profound impact on evolution. However, the mechanistic basis of mate choice is poorly understood. In this study we focused on assortative mate choice, which is known to contribute to the reproductive isolation of the two European subspecies of house mouse, Mus musculus musculus and Mus musculus domesticus. To understand the decision process, we developed both full mating and limited-contact paradigms and tested musculus females' preference for musculus versus domesticus males, mimicking the natural musculus/domesticus contact zone. As hypothesized, when allowed to mate we found that sexually receptive musculus females exhibited a robust preference to mate with musculus males. In contrast, when non-receptive, females did not exhibit a preference and rather alternated between males in response to male mount attempts. Moreover in a no-choice condition, females mated readily with males from both subspecies. Finally, when no physical contact was allowed, and therefore male's behavior could not influence female's behavior, female's preference for its own subspecies was maintained independently of the estrous state. Together, our results suggest that the assortative preference is relative and based on a comparison of the options available rather than on an absolute preference. The results of the limited-contact experiments highlight the interplay between female's internal state and the nature of the interaction with prospective mates in the full mating conditions. With these experiments we believe we established an assortative mate preference assay that is appropriate for the investigation of its underlying substrates. PMID:23762466

LASP-05: Time Course Assessment of Tumor Response to Therapeutics in Kras/p53 Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma (PDAC) Mice | Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research

Cancer.gov

The Laboratory Animal Sciences Program will breed 25 KPC animals with the intent of generating a cohort of 20 animals with confirmed tumor-load matching the following enrollment criteria:female mice are considered eligible for enrollment when u

Preliminary Characterization of Mus musculus–Derived Pathogenic Strains of Leptospira borgpetersenii Serogroup Ballum in a Hamster Model

PubMed Central

da Silva, Éverton F.; Félix, Samuel R.; Cerqueira, Gustavo M.; Fagundes, Michel Q.; Neto, Amilton C. P. S.; Grassmann, André A.; Amaral, Marta G.; Gallina, Tiago; Dellagostin, Odir A.

2010-01-01

Human and animal leptospirosis caused by Leptospira spp. belonging to serogroup Ballum has increased worldwide in the past decade. We report the isolation and serologic and molecular characterization of four L. borgpetersenii serogroup Ballum isolates obtained from Mus musculus, and preliminary virulence studies. These isolates are useful for diagnosis of leptospirosis and for epidemiologic studies of its virulence and pathogenic mechanisms. PMID:20682877

Phase and period responses of the circadian system of mice (Mus musculus) to light stimuli of different duration.

PubMed

Comas, M; Beersma, D G M; Spoelstra, K; Daan, S

2006-10-01

To understand entrainment of circadian systems to different photoperiods in nature, it is important to know the effects of single light pulses of different durations on the free-running system. The authors studied the phase and period responses of laboratory mice (C57BL6J//OlaHsd) to single light pulses of 7 different durations (1, 3, 4, 6, 9, 12, and 18 h) given once per 11 days in otherwise constant darkness. Light-pulse duration affected both amplitude and shape of the phase response curve. Nine-hour light pulses yielded the maximal amplitude PRC. As in other systems, the circadian period slightly lengthened following delays and shortened following advances. The authors aimed to understand how different parts of the light signal contribute to the eventual phase shift. When PRCs were plotted using the onset, midpoint, and end of the pulse as a phase reference, they corresponded best with each other when using the mid-pulse. Using a simple phase-only model, the authors explored the possibility that light affects oscillator velocity strongly in the 1st hour and at reduced strength in later hours of the pulse due to photoreceptor adaptation. They fitted models based on the 1-h PRC to the data for all light pulses. The best overall correspondence between PRCs was obtained when the effect of light during all hours after the first was reduced by a factor of 0.22 relative to the 1st hour. For the predicted PRCs, the light action centered on average at 38% of the light pulse. This is close to the reference phase yielding best correspondence at 36% of the pulses. The result is thus compatible with an initial major contribution of the onset of the light pulse followed by a reduced effect of light responsible for the differences between PRCs for different duration pulses. The authors suggest that the mid-pulse is a better phase reference than lights-on to plot and compare PRCs of different light-pulse durations.

Thymic alterations in GM2 gangliosidoses model mice.

PubMed

Kanzaki, Seiichi; Yamaguchi, Akira; Yamaguchi, Kayoko; Kojima, Yoshitsugu; Suzuki, Kyoko; Koumitsu, Noriko; Nagashima, Yoji; Nagahama, Kiyotaka; Ehara, Michiko; Hirayasu, Yoshio; Ryo, Akihide; Aoki, Ichiro; Yamanaka, Shoji

2010-08-10

Sandhoff disease is a lysosomal storage disorder characterized by the absence of β-hexosaminidase and storage of GM2 ganglioside and related glycolipids. We have previously found that the progressive neurologic disease induced in Hexb(-/-) mice, an animal model for Sandhoff disease, is associated with the production of pathogenic anti-glycolipid autoantibodies. In our current study, we report on the alterations in the thymus during the development of mild to severe progressive neurologic disease. The thymus from Hexb(-/-) mice of greater than 15 weeks of age showed a marked decrease in the percentage of immature CD4(+)/CD8(+) T cells and a significantly increased number of CD4(+)/CD8(-) T cells. During involution, the levels of both apoptotic thymic cells and IgG deposits to T cells were found to have increased, whilst swollen macrophages were prominently observed, particularly in the cortex. We employed cDNA microarray analysis to monitor gene expression during the involution process and found that genes associated with the immune responses were upregulated, particularly those expressed in macrophages. CXCL13 was one of these upregulated genes and is expressed specifically in the thymus. B1 cells were also found to have increased in the thy mus. It is significant that these alterations in the thymus were reduced in FcRγ additionally disrupted Hexb(-/-) mice. These results suggest that the FcRγ chain may render the usually poorly immunogenic thymus into an organ prone to autoimmune responses, including the chemotaxis of B1 cells toward CXCL13.

Expression profiling of lymph node cells from deer mice infected with Andes virus.

PubMed

Schountz, Tony; Shaw, Timothy I; Glenn, Travis C; Feldmann, Heinz; Prescott, Joseph

2013-04-09

Deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus) are the principal reservoir hosts of Sin Nombre virus (SNV), the cause of the great majority of hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS) cases in North America. SNV, like all hantaviruses with their reservoirs, causes persistent infection without pathology in deer mice and appear to elicit a regulatory T cell response. Deer mice are also susceptible to Andes virus (ANDV), which causes the great majority of HCPS cases in South America, but they clear infection by 56 days post infection without signs of disease. We examined lymph node cell responses of deer mice infected with ANDV to determine expression profiles upon in vitro recall challenge with viral antigen. Because the deer mouse genome is currently unannotated, we developed a bioinformatics pipeline to use known lab mouse (Mus musculus) cDNAs to predict genes within the deer mouse genome and design primers for quantitative PCR (http://dna.publichealth.uga.edu/BlastPrimer/BlastPrimer.php). Of 94 genes examined, 20 were elevated, the plurality of which were Th2-specific, whereas 12 were downregulated. Other expressed genes represented Th1, regulatory T cells and follicular helper T cells, and B cells, but not Th17 cells, indicating that many cellular phenotypes participate in the host response to Andes virus. The ability to examine expression levels of nearly any gene from deer mice should allow direct comparison of infection with SNV or ANDV to determine the immunological pathways used for clearance of hantavirus infection in a reservoir host species.

Methylation patterns of repetitive DNA sequences in germ cells of Mus musculus.

PubMed

Sanford, J; Forrester, L; Chapman, V; Chandley, A; Hastie, N

1984-03-26

The major and the minor satellite sequences of Mus musculus were undermethylated in both sperm and oocyte DNAs relative to the amount of undermethylation observed in adult somatic tissue DNA. This hypomethylation was specific for satellite sequences in sperm DNA. Dispersed repetitive and low copy sequences show a high degree of methylation in sperm DNA; however, a dispersed repetitive sequence was undermethylated in oocyte DNA. This finding suggests a difference in the amount of total genomic DNA methylation between sperm and oocyte DNA. The methylation levels of the minor satellite sequences did not change during spermiogenesis, and were not associated with the onset of meiosis or a specific stage in sperm development.

The quantitative genetics of maximal and basal rates of oxygen consumption in mice.

PubMed Central

Dohm, M R; Hayes, J P; Garland, T

2001-01-01

A positive genetic correlation between basal metabolic rate (BMR) and maximal (VO(2)max) rate of oxygen consumption is a key assumption of the aerobic capacity model for the evolution of endothermy. We estimated the genetic (V(A), additive, and V(D), dominance), prenatal (V(N)), and postnatal common environmental (V(C)) contributions to individual differences in metabolic rates and body mass for a genetically heterogeneous laboratory strain of house mice (Mus domesticus). Our breeding design did not allow the simultaneous estimation of V(D) and V(N). Regardless of whether V(D) or V(N) was assumed, estimates of V(A) were negative under the full models. Hence, we fitted reduced models (e.g., V(A) + V(N) + V(E) or V(A) + V(E)) and obtained new variance estimates. For reduced models, narrow-sense heritability (h(2)(N)) for BMR was <0.1, but estimates of h(2)(N) for VO(2)max were higher. When estimated with the V(A) + V(E) model, the additive genetic covariance between VO(2)max and BMR was positive and statistically different from zero. This result offers tentative support for the aerobic capacity model for the evolution of vertebrate energetics. However, constraints imposed on the genetic model may cause our estimates of additive variance and covariance to be biased, so our results should be interpreted with caution and tested via selection experiments. PMID:11560903

The role of red dragon fruit peel (Hylocereus polyrhizus) to improvement blood lipid levels of hyperlipidaemia male mice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hernawati; Setiawan, N. A.; Shintawati, R.; Priyandoko, D.

2018-05-01

The purpose of this research was to know the role of red dragon fruit peel powder to total cholesterol, triglyceride, high-density lipoprotein (HDL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and weight in the male hyperlipidaemic Balb-C mice (Mus musculus). This study used a completely randomized design (CRD) and four replicates for each dose treatments. Samples were 24 male mice that divided into six groups i.e. positive and negative controls, doses of 50; 100; 150 and 200 mg/kgBW/days red dragon fruit peel powder. Before being given treatment, mice were given feed containing high fat for 20 days until experiencing conditions hyperlipidaemia. The red dragon fruit peel powder was given at oral with used gavage for 30 days. Blood samples were taken from the tail on vena caudalis. Blood lipid samples were analysed at enzymatic with BIOLABO kits. The results of this study indicate that after administration of red dragon fruit peel powder total cholesterol levels, triglycerides and LDL-c decreased, along with increasing doses of red dragon fruit peel powder for 30 days. Furthermore showed that dragon fruit powder can increase HDL-c levels. The conclusion of this research was The red dragon fruit peel powder can improve blood lipid level of male Balb-c mice hyperlipidaemia.

Helicobacter sp. MIT 01-6451 infection during fetal and neonatal life in laboratory mice.

PubMed

Yamanaka, Hitoki; Nakanishi, Tai; Takagi, Toshikazu; Ohsawa, Makiko; Kubo, Noriaki; Yamamoto, Naoto; Takemoto, Takahira; Ohsawa, Kazutaka

2015-01-01

Helicobacter sp. MIT 01-6451 has been detected in SPF mice kept in Japan. To characterize strain MIT 01-6451, its infection route during fetal and neonatal life and effects on pregnancy were investigated using immunocompetent and immunodeficient mouse strains (BALB/c, C57BL/6, and SCID). MIT 01-6451 was detected in the uterus, vagina, and mammary glands of 50% of infected SCID mice, whereas these tissues were all negative in immunocompetent mice. No fetal infections with MIT 01-6451 were detected at 16-18 days after pregnancy in any mouse strain. In newborn mice, MIT 01-6451 was detected in intestinal tissue of C57BL/6 and SCID mice at 9-11 days after birth, but not in BALB/c mice. The IgA and IgG titers to MIT 01-6451 in sera of C57BL/6 female mice were significantly lower than those of BALB/c mice. Although no significant differences in the number of newborns per litter were observed between MIT 01-6451-infected and MIT 01-6451-free dams, the birth rate was lower in infected SCID mice than in control SCID mice. The present results indicated that MIT 01-6451 infects newborn mice after birth rather than by vertical transmission to the fetus via the placenta and that MIT 01-6451 infection shows opportunistically negative effects on the birth rate. In addition, the maternal immune response may affect infection of newborn mice with MIT 01-6451 through breast milk.

Helicobacter sp. MIT 01-6451 infection during fetal and neonatal life in laboratory mice

PubMed Central

Yamanaka, Hitoki; Nakanishi, Tai; Takagi, Toshikazu; Ohsawa, Makiko; Kubo, Noriaki; Yamamoto, Naoto; Takemoto, Takahira; Ohsawa, Kazutaka

2015-01-01

Helicobacter sp. MIT 01-6451 has been detected in SPF mice kept in Japan. To characterize strain MIT 01-6451, its infection route during fetal and neonatal life and effects on pregnancy were investigated using immunocompetent and immunodeficient mouse strains (BALB/c, C57BL/6, and SCID). MIT 01-6451 was detected in the uterus, vagina, and mammary glands of 50% of infected SCID mice, whereas these tissues were all negative in immunocompetent mice. No fetal infections with MIT 01-6451 were detected at 16–18 days after pregnancy in any mouse strain. In newborn mice, MIT 01-6451 was detected in intestinal tissue of C57BL/6 and SCID mice at 9–11 days after birth, but not in BALB/c mice. The IgA and IgG titers to MIT 01-6451 in sera of C57BL/6 female mice were significantly lower than those of BALB/c mice. Although no significant differences in the number of newborns per litter were observed between MIT 01-6451-infected and MIT 01-6451-free dams, the birth rate was lower in infected SCID mice than in control SCID mice. The present results indicated that MIT 01-6451 infects newborn mice after birth rather than by vertical transmission to the fetus via the placenta and that MIT 01-6451 infection shows opportunistically negative effects on the birth rate. In addition, the maternal immune response may affect infection of newborn mice with MIT 01-6451 through breast milk. PMID:26134357

Anatomical Variation of the Tarsus in Common Inbred Mouse Strains.

PubMed

Richbourg, Heather A; Martin, Matthew J; Schachner, Emma R; McNulty, Margaret A

2017-03-01

Rodent models are used for a variety of orthopedic research applications; however, anatomy references include mostly artistic representations. Advanced imaging techniques, including micro-computed tomography (microCT), can provide more accurate representations of subtle anatomical characteristics. A recent microCT atlas of laboratory mouse (Mus musculus) anatomy depicts the central and tarsal bone III (T3) as a single bone, differing from previous references. Fusion of tarsal bones is generally characterized as pathological secondary to mutations associated with growth factors, and normal variation has not been documented in the mouse tarsus. Therefore, it is unclear if this fusion is a normal or a pathological characteristic. The aim of this study is to characterize the tarsus of the laboratory mouse and compare it to the rat and selected outgroup species (i.e., white-footed mouse) via microCT and histology to determine if the central and T3 are separate or fused into a single bone. Laboratory mice (C57/Bl6 [n = 17] and BalbC [n = 2]) and rats (n = 5) were scanned with microCT. A representative laboratory mouse from each strain was evaluated histologically via serial sagittal sections through the mid-tarsus. General pedal anatomy was similar between all species; however, the central and T3 bones were fused in all laboratory mice but not the rat or white-footed mouse. A band of hyaline cartilage was identified within the fused bone of the laboratory mice. We conclude that the fusion found is a normal characteristic in laboratory mice, but timing of the fusion remains ambiguous. Anat Rec, 300:450-459, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Using the mouse grimace scale to assess pain associated with routine ear notching and the effect of analgesia in laboratory mice.

PubMed

Miller, A L; Leach, M C

2015-04-01

Social housing is recommended where possible for laboratory mice. In order to achieve this, mice must be individually identifiable. Although, various methods are available, permanent identification is often required, such as ear notching. This method is likely to be painful and to date there is limited literature on pain assessment and alleviation for this routine husbandry practice. Here we aimed to determine if the mouse grimace scale (MGS) could be used to assess pain in C57BL/6 mice following routine ear notching. Langford et al. found that very acute noxious stimuli (i.e. < 10 min in duration) did not produce a change in MGS score in comparison to baseline. Here, no significant difference was found between MGS scores at baseline and immediately post ear notching, potentially indicating that the pain associated with ear notching is either too acute to assess using the MGS tool or the practice is not painful. Studies in other species indicate that ear notching is painful, therefore, unless we can confidently conclude that the process of ear notching is not painful, we should err on the side of caution and assume it is painful due to the large number of mice ear-notched and potential welfare consequences. Alternative methods of assessing pain following this routine practice should be used in order to assess both the potential pain in mice, and the effectiveness of analgesics or local anaesthetics to relieve any associated pain. © The Author(s) 2014 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

Protective Effect of Parsley Juice (Petroselinum crispum, Apiaceae) against Cadmium Deleterious Changes in the Developed Albino Mice Newborns (Mus musculus) Brain

PubMed Central

Allam, Ahmed A.; Maodaa, Salah N.; Abo-Eleneen, Rasha; Ajarem, Jamaan

2016-01-01

Parsley was used as a probe of the current experiment to prevent the behavioral, morphological and biochemical changes in the newborn brain following the administration of cadmium (Cd) to the pregnant mice. The nonanesthetized pregnant mice were given daily parsley juice (Petroselinum crispum) at doses of 20 mg/kg and 10 mg/kg. Pregnant mothers were given Cd at a dose of 30 mg/kg divided into 3 equal times. The newborns have been divided into 6 groups: Group A, mothers did not take treatment; Groups B and C, mothers were treated with low and high dose of parsley, respectively; Group D, mothers were treated only with Cd (perinatal intoxication); Groups E and F, mothers were treated with Cd doses and protected by low and high doses of parsley, respectively. Light microscopy showed that Cd-induced neuronal degeneration by chromatolysis and pyknosis in the brain regions. The low dose of parsley 10 g/kg/day exhibited significant effects in neutralizing and reducing the deleterious changes due to Cd exposure during pregnancy on the behavioral activities, neurotransmitters, oxidative stress, and brain neurons morphology of the mice newborns. PMID:26966507

Protective Effect of Parsley Juice (Petroselinum crispum, Apiaceae) against Cadmium Deleterious Changes in the Developed Albino Mice Newborns (Mus musculus) Brain.

PubMed

Allam, Ahmed A; Maodaa, Salah N; Abo-Eleneen, Rasha; Ajarem, Jamaan

2016-01-01

Parsley was used as a probe of the current experiment to prevent the behavioral, morphological and biochemical changes in the newborn brain following the administration of cadmium (Cd) to the pregnant mice. The nonanesthetized pregnant mice were given daily parsley juice (Petroselinum crispum) at doses of 20 mg/kg and 10 mg/kg. Pregnant mothers were given Cd at a dose of 30 mg/kg divided into 3 equal times. The newborns have been divided into 6 groups: Group A, mothers did not take treatment; Groups B and C, mothers were treated with low and high dose of parsley, respectively; Group D, mothers were treated only with Cd (perinatal intoxication); Groups E and F, mothers were treated with Cd doses and protected by low and high doses of parsley, respectively. Light microscopy showed that Cd-induced neuronal degeneration by chromatolysis and pyknosis in the brain regions. The low dose of parsley 10 g/kg/day exhibited significant effects in neutralizing and reducing the deleterious changes due to Cd exposure during pregnancy on the behavioral activities, neurotransmitters, oxidative stress, and brain neurons morphology of the mice newborns.

Wind asymmetry imprint in the UV light curves of the symbiotic binary SY Mus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shagatova, N.; Skopal, A.

2017-06-01

Context. Light curves (LCs) of some symbiotic stars show a different slope of the ascending and descending branch of their minimum profile. The origin of this asymmetry is not well understood. Aims: We explain this effect in the ultraviolet LCs of the symbiotic binary SY Mus. Methods: We model the continuum fluxes in the spectra obtained by the International Ultraviolet Explorer at ten wavelengths, from 1280 to 3080 Å. We consider that the white dwarf radiation is attenuated by H0 atoms, H- ions, and free electrons in the red giant wind. Variation in the nebular component is approximated by a sine wave along the orbit as suggested by spectral energy distribution models. The model includes asymmetric wind velocity distribution and the corresponding ionization structure of the binary. Results: We determined distribution of the H0 and H+, as well as upper limits of H- and H0 column densities in the neutral and ionized region at the selected wavelengths as functions of the orbital phase. Corresponding models of the LCs match well the observed continuum fluxes. In this way, we suggested the main UV continuum absorbing (scattering) processes in the circumbinary environment of S-type symbiotic stars. Conclusions: The asymmetric profile of the ultraviolet LCs of SY Mus is caused by the asymmetric distribution of the circumstellar matter at the near-orbital-plane area. Table 1 is only available at the CDS via anonymous ftp to http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (http://130.79.128.5) or via http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr/viz-bin/qcat?J/A+A/602/A71

Evidence for an audience effect in mice: male social partners alter the male vocal response to female cues

PubMed Central

Seagraves, Kelly M.; Arthur, Ben J.; Egnor, S. E. Roian

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT Mice (Mus musculus) form large and dynamic social groups and emit ultrasonic vocalizations in a variety of social contexts. Surprisingly, these vocalizations have been studied almost exclusively in the context of cues from only one social partner, despite the observation that in many social species the presence of additional listeners changes the structure of communication signals. Here, we show that male vocal behavior elicited by female odor is affected by the presence of a male audience – with changes in vocalization count, acoustic structure and syllable complexity. We further show that single sensory cues are not sufficient to elicit this audience effect, indicating that multiple cues may be necessary for an audience to be apparent. Together, these experiments reveal that some features of mouse vocal behavior are only expressed in more complex social situations, and introduce a powerful new assay for measuring detection of the presence of social partners in mice. PMID:27207951

Evidence for an audience effect in mice: male social partners alter the male vocal response to female cues.

PubMed

Seagraves, Kelly M; Arthur, Ben J; Egnor, S E Roian

2016-05-15

Mice (Mus musculus) form large and dynamic social groups and emit ultrasonic vocalizations in a variety of social contexts. Surprisingly, these vocalizations have been studied almost exclusively in the context of cues from only one social partner, despite the observation that in many social species the presence of additional listeners changes the structure of communication signals. Here, we show that male vocal behavior elicited by female odor is affected by the presence of a male audience - with changes in vocalization count, acoustic structure and syllable complexity. We further show that single sensory cues are not sufficient to elicit this audience effect, indicating that multiple cues may be necessary for an audience to be apparent. Together, these experiments reveal that some features of mouse vocal behavior are only expressed in more complex social situations, and introduce a powerful new assay for measuring detection of the presence of social partners in mice. © 2016. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

Coping with parvovirus infections in mice: health surveillance and control.

PubMed

Janus, Lydia M; Bleich, Andre

2012-01-01

Parvoviruses of mice, minute virus of mice (MVM) and mouse parvovirus (MPV), are challenging pathogens to eradicate from laboratory animal facilities. Due to the impediment on rodent-based research, recent studies have focused on the assessment of re-derivation techniques and parvoviral potential to induce persistent infections. Summarizing recent data, this review gives an overview on studies associated with parvoviral impact on research, diagnostic methods, parvoviral persistence and re-derivation techniques, demonstrating the complex nature of parvovirus infection in mice and unfolding the challenge of controlling parvovirus infections in laboratory animal facilities.

Evaluation of the aneugenic potential of the fungicide Ferbam in mice.

PubMed

Shanthi, R; Krishnamoorthy, M

2002-01-01

Ferbam, a potent dithiocarbamate fungicide is used as a protectant against a wide variety of fungal diseases in fruits, vegetables, and ornamental plants. The wide-spread use of this chemical is likely to pollute the environment. Hence, it was planned to test the possible genotoxicity of Ferbam through its aneugenic potential in the in vivo mouse (Mus musculus) test system. Four different doses of Ferbam, namely, 7.5, 15.0, 30.0, 60.0 mg/kg body weight were administered orally to mice Mus musculus suspended in gum tragacanth representing, respectively, 1/16, 1/8, 1/4;, 1/2 th of the LD50 value. They were sacrificed at 6-, 12-, 24-, and 48-h intervals along with a distilled water negative control at 2 mg/kg body weight. Colchicine treated animals were used as positive controls. Bone marrow preparations were made following the standard Hypotonic flame dry Giemsa staining technique to study the dose and time yield effect of Ferbam. The aneugenic potential was evaluated for C-mitotic effects by scoring the mitotic index, c-mitoses frequency, anaphase reduction, and hyper/hypodiploidy induction. Ferbam showed a significant increase in the mitotic index and C-mitoses effects and anaphase decreased at the highest doses of 30 and 60 mg/kg at 12- and 24-h intervals. Colchicine induced significant effects in all the aneugenic parameters observed at all the time intervals. There was no significant induction of either hyperdiploidy or hypodiploidy by Ferbam, unlike colchicine, indicating that the fungicide Ferbam is not aneugenic in the mouse test system. Copyright 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Foraging activity of commensal Mus musculus in semi-captivity conditions. Effect of predator odours, previous experience and moonlight.

PubMed

Busch, María; Burroni, Nora E

2015-12-01

Mus musculus is a pest in urban and rural habitats where it consumes and contaminates food and may transmit diseases to human and domestic animals. Its control by anticoagulants is partially effective because of aversive behaviours and resistance. In this context, we wanted to assess the potential of the use of predator odours as repellents in experimental feeding trials using urine and faeces of domestic cats and faeces of geoffroyi cat, a wild small felid that is one of the main rodent predators in the study area. We also assessed the effect of previous experience and moonlight on foraging activity. We did not find an aversive response to cat odours in Mus musculus individuals. There was a trend to consume food in the same feeding stations over time, and the visit rate was lower in periods with high moonlight than in periods with low moonlight. Predator odours did not seem to be useful as rodent repellents, but maintaining illumination may lower rodent foraging activity. As rodents maintain their feeding sites over time, toxic baits may be more efficiently placed at sites previously known to be used by rodents. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry.

Synaptic Remodeling in the Dentate Gyrus, CA3, CA1, Subiculum, and Entorhinal Cortex of Mice: Effects of Deprived Rearing and Voluntary Running

PubMed Central

Schaefers, Andrea T. U.; Grafen, Keren; Teuchert-Noodt, Gertraud; Winter, York

2010-01-01

Hippocampal cell proliferation is strongly increased and synaptic turnover decreased after rearing under social and physical deprivation in gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus). We examined if a similar epigenetic effect of rearing environment on adult neuroplastic responses can be found in mice (Mus musculus). We examined synaptic turnover rates in the dentate gyrus, CA3, CA1, subiculum, and entorhinal cortex. No direct effects of deprived rearing on rates of synaptic turnover were found in any of the studied regions. However, adult wheel running had the effect of leveling layer-specific differences in synaptic remodeling in the dentate gyrus, CA3, and CA1, but not in the entorhinal cortex and subiculum of animals of both rearing treatments. Epigenetic effects during juvenile development affected adult neural plasticity in mice, but seemed to be less pronounced than in gerbils. PMID:20508828

Origin of the chromosomal radiation of Madeiran house mice: a microsatellite analysis of metacentric chromosomes

PubMed Central

Förster, D W; Mathias, M L; Britton-Davidian, J; Searle, J B

2013-01-01

Chromosome races of Mus musculus domesticus are characterised by particular sets of metacentric chromosomes formed by Robertsonian fusions and whole-arm reciprocal translocations. The Atlantic island of Madeira is inhabited by six chromosome races of house mice with 6–9 pairs of metacentric chromosomes. Three of these races are characterised by the metacentric 3.8 also found elsewhere in the distribution of M. m. domesticus, including Denmark and Spain. We investigated the possibility that metacentric 3.8 was introduced to Madeira during the initial colonisation, as this could have ‘seeded' the cascade of chromosomal mutation that is the basis of the extraordinary chromosomal radiation observed on the island. Variation at 24 microsatellite loci mapping to three different chromosomal regions (proximal, interstitial and distal) of mouse chromosomes 3 and 8 was investigated in 179 mice from Madeira, Denmark, Portugal, Spain, Italy and Scotland. Analyses of microsatellite loci closely linked to the centromeres of these chromosomes (‘proximal loci') do not support a common evolutionary origin of metacentric 3.8 among Madeiran, Danish and Spanish mouse populations. Our results suggest that Madeiran mice are genetically more similar to standard karyotype mice from Portugal than to metacentric mice from elsewhere. There is expected to be an interruption to gene flow between hybridising metacentric races on Madeira, particularly in the chromosomal regions close to the rearrangement breakpoints. Consistent with this, relating to differentiation involving chromosomes 3 and 8 on Madeira, we found greater genetic structure among races for proximal than interstitial or distal loci. PMID:23232832

CENP-B binds a novel centromeric sequence in the Asian mouse Mus caroli.

PubMed Central

Kipling, D; Mitchell, A R; Masumoto, H; Wilson, H E; Nicol, L; Cooke, H J

1995-01-01

Minor satellite DNA, found at Mus musculus centromeres, is not present in the genome of the Asian mouse Mus caroli. This repetitive sequence family is speculated to have a role in centromere function by providing an array of binding sites for the centromere-associated protein CENP-B. The apparent absence of CENP-B binding sites in the M. caroli genome poses a major challenge to this hypothesis. Here we describe two abundant satellite DNA sequences present at M. caroli centromeres. These satellites are organized as tandem repeat arrays, over 1 Mb in size, of either 60- or 79-bp monomers. All autosomes carry both satellites and small amounts of a sequence related to the M. musculus major satellite. The Y chromosome contains small amounts of both major satellite and the 60-bp satellite, whereas the X chromosome carries only major satellite sequences. M. caroli chromosomes segregate in M. caroli x M. musculus interspecific hybrid cell lines, indicating that the two sets of chromosomes can interact with the same mitotic spindle. Using a polyclonal CENP-B antiserum, we demonstrate that M. caroli centromeres can bind murine CENP-B in such an interspecific cell line, despite the absence of canonical 17-bp CENP-B binding sites in the M. caroli genome. Sequence analysis of the 79-bp M. caroli satellite reveals a 17-bp motif that contains all nine bases previously shown to be necessary for in vitro binding of CENP-B. This M. caroli motif binds CENP-B from HeLa cell nuclear extract in vitro, as indicated by gel mobility shift analysis. We therefore suggest that this motif also causes CENP-B to associate with M. caroli centromeres in vivo. Despite the sequence differences, M. caroli presents a third, novel mammalian centromeric sequence producing an array of binding sites for CENP-B. PMID:7623797

Metagenomic and metabolomic analysis of the toxic effects of trichloroacetamide-induced gut microbiome and urine metabolome perturbations in mice.

PubMed

Zhang, Yan; Zhao, Fuzheng; Deng, Yongfeng; Zhao, Yanping; Ren, Hongqiang

2015-04-03

Disinfection byproducts (DBPs) in drinking water have been linked to various diseases, including colon, colorectal, rectal, and bladder cancer. Trichloroacetamide (TCAcAm) is an emerging nitrogenous DBP, and our previous study found that TCAcAm could induce some changes associated with host-gut microbiota co-metabolism. In this study, we used an integrated approach combining metagenomics, based on high-throughput sequencing, and metabolomics, based on nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), to evaluate the toxic effects of TCAcAm exposure on the gut microbiome and urine metabolome. High-throughput sequencing revealed that the gut microbiome's composition and function were significantly altered after TCAcAm exposure for 90 days in Mus musculus mice. In addition, metabolomic analysis showed that a number of gut microbiota-related metabolites were dramatically perturbed in the urine of the mice. These results may provide novel insight into evaluating the health risk of environmental pollutants as well as revealing the potential mechanism of TCAcAm's toxic effects.

Non-random occurrence of Robertsonian translocations in the house mouse (Mus musculus domesticus): is it related to quantitative variation in the minor satellite?

PubMed

Cazaux, Benoîte; Catalan, Josette; Claude, Julien; Britton-Davidian, Janice

2014-01-01

The house mouse, Mus musculus domesticus, shows extraordinary chromosomal diversity driven by fixation of Robertsonian (Rb) translocations. The high frequency of this rearrangement, which involves the centromeric regions, has been ascribed to the architecture of the satellite sequence (high quantity and homogeneity). This promotes centromere-related translocations through unequal recombination and gene conversion. A characteristic feature of Rb variation in this subspecies is the non-random contribution of different chromosomes to the translocation frequency, which, in turn, depends on the chromosome size. Here, the association between satellite quantity and Rb frequency was tested by PRINS of the minor satellite which is the sequence involved in the translocation breakpoints. Five chromosomes with different translocation frequencies were selected and analyzed among wild house mice from 8 European localities. Using a relative quantitative measurement per chromosome, the analysis detected a large variability in signal size most of which was observed between individuals and/or localities. The chromosomes differed significantly in the quantity of the minor satellite, but these differences were not correlated with their translocation frequency. However, the data uncovered a marginally significant correlation between the quantity of the minor satellite and chromosome size. The implications of these results on the evolution of the chromosomal architecture in the house mouse are discussed. © 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Molecular docking to Toxoplasma gondii thymidylate synthase-dihydrofolate reductase and efficacy of raltitrexed in infected mice.

PubMed

de Paula Reis, Michelle; de Lima, Daniely Alves; Pauli, Karoline Bach; Andreotti, Carlos Eduardo Linhares; de Moraes, André Luiz Soares; Gonçalves, Daniela Dib; Navarro, Italmar Teodorico; Bueno, Paulo Sérgio Alves; Seixas, Flavio Augusto Vicente; Gasparotto Junior, Arquimedes; Lourenço, Emerson Luiz Botelho

2018-05-01

Toxoplasmosis is a zoonosis of worldwide distribution. Currently, two drugs, pyrimethamine and sulfadiazine, are used as a reference in the treatment of toxoplasmosis, but the resistance of Toxoplasma gondii appears as a relevant public health problem. In order to identify new drugs to toxoplasmosis treatment, we performed a molecular docking of raltitrexed to T. gondii thymidylate synthase-dihydrofolate reductase (TS-DHFR) and also evaluated its efficacy in infected mice. Initially, raltitrexed was docked on the crystallographic structures of TS-DHFR from T. gondii and Mus musculus. Then, 48 h after infection with the T. gondii RH strain, different groups of mice received an oral dose of raltitrexed (0.15, 0.75, and 1.5 mg kg -1 ). Two days after treatments, raltitrexed was able to prevent mortality and reduce the number of tachyzoites in the peritoneal fluid and liver imprints from infected mice. The results showed that raltitrexed has important protective activities against the T. gondii RH strain. Molecular docking still suggests that the effects against the parasite may be dependent on the inhibition of T. gondii thymidylate synthase. This study opens new perspectives for the use of raltitrexed in patients infected with T. gondii, especially when conventional treatments do not exhibit the expected efficacy.

Asymmetry and polymorphism of hybrid male sterility during the early stages of speciation in house mice.

PubMed

Good, Jeffrey M; Handel, Mary Ann; Nachman, Michael W

2008-01-01

House mice offer a powerful system for dissecting the genetic basis of phenotypes that isolate species in the early stages of speciation. We used a series of reciprocal crosses between wild-derived strains of Mus musculus and M. domesticus to examine F(1) hybrid male sterility, one of the primary phenotypes thought to isolate these species. We report four main results. First, we found significantly smaller testes and fewer sperm in hybrid male progeny of most crosses. Second, in some crosses hybrid male sterility was asymmetric and depended on the species origin of the X chromosome. These observations confirm and extend previous findings, underscoring the central role that the M. musculus X chromosome plays in reproductive isolation. Third, comparisons among reciprocal crosses revealed polymorphism at one or more hybrid incompatibilities within M. musculus. Fourth, the spermatogenic phenotype of this polymorphic interaction appears distinct from previously described hybrid incompatibilities between these species. These data build on previous studies of speciation in house mice and show that the genetic basis of hybrid male sterility is fairly complex, even at this early stage of divergence.

Evaluation of oxidative stress in mice subjected to aerobic exercise.

PubMed

Lima, Mônica Cruvinel de; Marks, Guido; Silva, Iandara Schettert; Silva, Baldomero Antonio Kato da; Cônsolo, Lourdes Zélia Zanoni; Nogueira, Gabriel Bogalho

2012-08-01

To evaluate the influence of aerobic exercise on oxidative stress in mice. The study included twenty female mice Mus musculus-Swiss divided into two groups: sedentary control (GA) and exercise (GB), each containing ten animals. All animals underwent an adaptation period of seven days isolated in individual boxes. After this period, the animals in the exercise group (GB) were trained in angled running wheel with circumference of 25 cm assembled on an articulated axle during five minutes for three consecutive days. On the fourth day, they underwent an exercise program of one session lasting 45 minutes. The evaluation of oxidative stress was performed by determining the levels of malondialhyde derived of lipid peroxidation by the TBA method. The samples were read in a spectrophotometer at 535 nm. No significant difference was observed in the intergroup comparison of MDA levels in the tissues evaluated. A significant difference was observed in the intragroup comparison of MDA levels in the control group (p = 0.0201).The Tukeys' post hoc test indicated significantly lower values of MDA in the smooth muscle in relation to plasma. In the analysis of variance in the exercise group, a significant difference between tissues (p = 0.0009), with significantly lower values in the smooth muscle in relation to plasma (p<0.001) and higher in striated muscle in relation to smooth muscle (p<0.05) was observed. There was no change in the analysis of oxidative stress in mice which were undergone a single session of aerobic exercise.

Alterations in oxidative responses and post-translational modification caused by p,p´-DDE in Mus spretus testes reveal Cys oxidation status in proteins related to cell-redox homeostasis and male fertility.

PubMed

Alhama, José; Fuentes-Almagro, Carlos A; Abril, Nieves; Michán, Carmen

2018-09-15

The major derivate of DDT, 1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis (p-chlorophenyl) ethylene (p,p´-DDE), is a persistent pollutant previously associated with oxidative stress. Additionally, p,p´-DDE has been linked to several metabolic alterations related to sexual function in rodents. In this study, we analysed the effects of a non-lethal p,p´-DDE dose to Mus spretus mice in testes, focusing on oxidative damage to biomolecules, defence mechanisms against oxidative stress and post-translational protein modifications. No increase in lipid or DNA oxidation was observed, although antioxidative enzymatic defences and redox status of glutathione were altered in several ways. Global protein carbonylation and phosphorylation were significantly reduced in testes from p,p´-DDE-exposed mice; however, the total redox state of Cys thiols did not exhibit a defined pattern. We analysed the reversible redox state of specific Cys residues in detail with differential isotopic labelling and a shotgun labelling-based MS/MS proteomic approach for identification and quantification of altered peptides. Our results show that Cys residues are significantly affected by p,p´-DDE in several proteins related to oxidative stress and/or male fertility, particularly those participating in fertilization, sperm capacitation and blood coagulation. These molecular changes could explain the sexual abnormalities previously described in p,p´-DDE exposed organisms. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Completion of the life cycle of Sarcocystis zuoi , a parasite from the Norway rat, Rattus norvegicus.

PubMed

Hu, Jun-Jie; Meng, Yu; Guo, Yan-Mei; Liao, Jie-Ying; Song, Jing-Ling

2012-06-01

Transmission experiments were performed to elucidate the life cycle of Sarcocystis zuoi found in Norway rats ( Rattus norvegicus ) in China. Two king rat snakes ( Elaphe carinata ) fed sarcocysts from the muscles of 4 naturally infected Norway rats shed sporocysts measuring 10.8 ± 0.7 × 8.0 ± 0.7 µm, with a prepatent period of 8-9 days. Sporocysts from the intestine of 2 experimentally infected king rat snakes were given to the laboratory Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats ( R. norvegicus ) and Kunming (KM) mice ( Mus musculus ). Microscopic sarcocysts developed in the skeletal muscles of SD rats. No sarcocysts were observed in KM mice. Characters of ultrastructure and molecule of sarcocysts from SD rats were confirmed as S. zuoi . Our results indicate that king rat snake is the definitive host of S. zuoi .

Assessment of post-laparotomy pain in laboratory mice by telemetric recording of heart rate and heart rate variability

PubMed Central

Arras, Margarete; Rettich, Andreas; Cinelli, Paolo; Kasermann, Hans P; Burki, Kurt

2007-01-01

Background Pain of mild to moderate grade is difficult to detect in laboratory mice because mice are prey animals that attempt to elude predators or man by hiding signs of weakness, injury or pain. In this study, we investigated the use of telemetry to identify indicators of mild-to-moderate post-laparotomy pain. Results Adult mice were subjected to laparotomy, either combined with pain treatment (carprofen or flunixin, 5 mg/kg s/c bid, for 1 day) or without pain relief. Controls received anesthesia and analgesics or vehicle only. Telemetrically measured locomotor activity was undisturbed in all animals, thus confirming that any pain experienced was of the intended mild level. No symptoms of pain were registered in any of the groups by scoring the animals' outer appearance or spontaneous and provoked behavior. In contrast, the group receiving no analgesic treatment after laparotomy demonstrated significant changes in telemetry electrocardiogram recordings: increased heart rate and decreased heart rate variability parameters pointed to sympathetic activation and pain lasting for 24 hours. In addition, core body temperature was elevated. Body weight and food intake were reduced for 3 and 2 days, respectively. Moreover, unstructured cage territory and destroyed nests appeared for 1–2 days in an increased number of animals in this group only. In controls these parameters were not affected. Conclusion In conclusion, real-time telemetric recordings of heart rate and heart rate variability were indicative of mild-to-moderate post-laparotomy pain and could define its duration in our mouse model. This level of pain cannot easily be detected by direct observation. PMID:17683523

[Experimental vaginal dysbiosis on the model of white laboratory mice].

PubMed

Voronkova, O S; Sirokvasha, E A; Vinnikov, A I

2008-01-01

Qualitative and quantitative composition of microbiocenosis of urogenital tract (UGT) of mice has been studied. When investigating UGT of mice in norm (n = 8), microorganisms of several genera with following occurrence frequency were detected: Lactobacillus (100%), Streptococcus (100%), Staphylococcus (87.5%), Micrococcus (12.5%), Bacillus (12.5%), Fusobacterium (87.5%), Peptococcus (62.5%), Peptostreptococcus (50%), Bacteroides (100%) and representatives of Enterobacteriaceae f (12.5%) family. A comparative analysis of UGT microflora in norm and under physiologically proceeding pregnancy helped to detect in the group of pregnant animals the increase of occurrence frequency of such conventionally-pathogenous organisms as representatives of Enterobacteriaceae family (6.86) and Peptococcus genus (1.37 times), representatives of Lactobacillus genus were found in 100% of animals. A possibility of UGT dysbiosis under microbialload made by the method of intravaginal introduction of 50 mkl of Staphilococcus aureus culture suspension which contains 1 x 109 cells/ml has been established. It was shown that clinical symptoms of dysbiosis (increase of pH, excretions at UGT outlet) correlate with disturbances in microbiocenosis of mice UGT which are characterized by a decrease of occurrence frequency and titer of saprophyte microorganisms, first of all, Lactobacillus (occurrence frequency decreased 15 times for anaerobic and 1.33 times for microaerophylic, and titers 1.32 times and 2.34 times, respectively), and by an increase of the titer of conventionally pathogenic bacteria, such as representatives of Enterobacteriaceae family (14.5 times) and Staphylococcus (6.17 times). Investigation of the effect of exogenic staphylococcal load on pregnancy has shown that the development of UGT dysbiosis affects the pregnancy result. Thus, it was established that there were three cases of abortion and two cases of natimortality which were registered in the group of female mice (n = 5

A Comparison of mucosal surface area and villous histology in small intestines of the Brazilian free-tailed bat (Tadarida brasiliensis) and the mouse (Mus musculus).

PubMed

Zhang, Zhi-Qiang; Brun, Antonio; Price, Edwin R; Cruz-Neto, Ariovaldo P; Karasov, William H; Caviedes-Vidal, Enrique

2015-01-01

Studies on birds have led to the hypothesis that increased intestinal absorption between enterocytes (paracellular) evolved as a compensation for smaller intestinal size in fliers, which was perhaps selected to minimize the mass of digesta carried. This hypothesis predicts that bats will also exhibit relatively reduced intestinal size and high paracellular absorption, compared with nonflying mammals. Published studies on three bat species indicate relatively high paracellular absorption. One mechanism for increasing paracellular absorption per cm2 small intestine (SI) is increased number of tight junctions (TJs) across which paracellular absorption occurs. To our knowledge, we provide the first comparative analysis of enterocyte size and number in flying and nonflying mammals. Intestines of insectivorous bats Tadarida brasiliensis were compared with Mus musculus using hematoxylin and eosin staining method. Bats had shorter and narrower SIs than mice, and after correction for body size difference by normalizing to mass3/4, the bats had 40% less nominal surface area than the mouse, as predicted. Villous enhancement of surface area was 90% greater in the bat than in the mouse, mainly because of longer villi and a greater density of villi in bat intestines. Bat and mouse were similar in enterocyte diameter. Bats exceeded mice by 54.4% in villous area per cm length SI and by 95% in number of enterocytes per cm2 of the nominal surface area of the SI. Therefore, an increased density of TJs per cm2 SI may be a mechanistic explanation that helps to understand the high paracellular absorption observed in bats compared to nonflying mammals. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The genetic basis of parental care evolution in monogamous mice

PubMed Central

Bendesky, Andres; Kwon, Young-Mi; Lassance, Jean-Marc; Lewarch, Caitlin L; Yao, Shenqin; Peterson, Brant K; He, Meng Xiao; Dulac, Catherine; Hoekstra, Hopi E

2017-01-01

Summary Parental care is essential for the survival of mammals, yet the mechanisms underlying its evolution remain largely unknown. Here we show that two sister species of mice, Peromyscus polionotus and P. maniculatus, have large and heritable differences in parental behaviour. Using quantitative genetics, we identify 12 genomic regions that affect parental care, eight of which have sex-specific effects, suggesting that parental care can evolve independently in males and females. Furthermore, some regions affect parental care broadly, whereas others affect specific behaviours, such as nest building. Of the genes linked to differences in nest-building behaviour, vasopressin is differentially expressed in the hypothalamus of the two species, with increased levels associated with less nest building. Using pharmacology in Peromyscus and chemogenetics in Mus, we show that vasopressin inhibits nest building but not other parental behaviours. Together, our results indicate that variation in an ancient neuropeptide contributes to interspecific differences in parental care. PMID:28424518

Evidence that microplastics aggravate the toxicity of organophosphorus flame retardants in mice (Mus musculus).

PubMed

Deng, Yongfeng; Zhang, Yan; Qiao, Ruxia; Bonilla, Melvin M; Yang, Xiaoliang; Ren, Hongqiang; Lemos, Bernardo

2018-06-08

This study was performed to reveal the health risks of co-exposure to organophosphorus flame retardants (OPFRs) and microplastics (MPs). We exposed mice to polyethylene (PE) and polystyrene (PS) MPs and OPFRs [tris (2-chloroethy) phosphate (TCEP) and tris (1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate (TDCPP)] for 90 days. Biochemical markers and metabolomics were used to determine whether MPs could enhance the toxicity of OPFRs. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) increased (p < 0.05) by 21% and 26% respectively in 10 μg/L TDCPP + PE group compared to TDCPP group. Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in TDCPP + MPs groups were higher (18%-30%) than that in TDCPP groups (p < 0.05). Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) in TCEP + PE groups were lower (10%-19%) than those in TCEP groups (p < 0.05). These results suggested that OPFR co-exposure with MPs induced more toxicity than OPFR exposure alone. Finally, in comparison to controls we observed that 29, 41, 41, 26, 40 and 37 metabolites changed significantly (p < 0.05; fold-change > 1.2) in TCEP, TCEP + PS, TCEP + PE, TDCPP, TDCPP + PS and TDCPP + PE groups, respectively. Most of these metabolites are related to pathways of amino acid and energy metabolism. Our results indicate that MPs aggravate the toxicity of OPFRs and highlight the health risks of MP co-exposure with other pollutants. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effects of natural enrichment materials on stress, memory and exploratory behavior in mice.

PubMed

Acklin, Casey J; Gault, Ruth A

2015-07-01

Environmental enrichment is an essential component of laboratory animal housing that allows animals to engage in natural behaviors in an otherwise artificial setting. Previous research by the authors suggested that, compared with synthetic enrichment materials, natural materials were associated with lower stress levels in mice. Here, the authors compare the effects of different enrichment materials on stress, memory and exploratory behavior in Swiss Webster mice. Mice that were provided with natural enrichment materials had lower stress levels, better memory and greater exploratory behavior than did mice provided with synthetic enrichment materials or with no enrichment materials. These findings suggest that provision of natural enrichment materials can improve well-being of laboratory mice.

Dietary omega 6 fatty acids and the effects of hyperthyroidism in mice.

PubMed

Deshpande, N; Hulbert, A J

1995-03-01

The influence of the type of dietary fat on the effects of thyroid hormones was investigated in mice. Hyperthyroidism was achieved by providing thyroid hormones (T3 and T4) in the drinking water. Both hyperthyroid and euthyroid mice (Mus musculus) were fed isoenergetic diets containing 18% (w/w) total lipid but differing in fatty acid composition. Diets were either low in the polyunsaturated linoleic acid (18:2, omega 6) and high in saturated fatty acids (SFAs) or low in saturated fats and high in the polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA), linoleic acid. Treatments were maintained for 21-22 days. Plasma thyroid hormone levels, standard metabolic rate (SMR), changes in body mass, specific activities of malic enzyme (ME), Na-K-ATPase and glycerolphosphate dehydrogenase (GPDH) of the liver were measured. Fatty acid composition of the liver phospholipids was also determined. Levels of T3 (15-17 nM) and T4 (250-255 nM) were significantly higher in the respective hyperthyroid groups. There was no significant influence of the diet on hormone levels. Hyperthyroidism increased the SMR 37-44% above the euthyroid levels. A significant body weight loss of 14-18% was observed in hyperthyroid mice on the PUFA diet but not in those on the SFA diet. PUFA diet significantly reduced the activity of ME but had no effect on Na-K-ATPase or GPDH activity. Activities of Na-K-ATPase and GPDH were significantly elevated in all hyperthyroid groups. Mice on T4 and PUFA diet showed a highly significant 399% increase in GPDH activity above the euthyroid level.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Fellow travellers: a concordance of colonization patterns between mice and men in the North Atlantic region.

PubMed

Jones, E P; Skirnisson, K; McGovern, T H; Gilbert, M T P; Willerslev, E; Searle, J B

2012-03-19

House mice (Mus musculus) are commensals of humans and therefore their phylogeography can reflect human colonization and settlement patterns. Previous studies have linked the distribution of house mouse mitochondrial (mt) DNA clades to areas formerly occupied by the Norwegian Vikings in Norway and the British Isles. Norwegian Viking activity also extended further westwards in the North Atlantic with the settlement of Iceland, short-lived colonies in Greenland and a fleeting colony in Newfoundland in 1000 AD. Here we investigate whether house mouse mtDNA sequences reflect human history in these other regions as well. House mice samples from Iceland, whether from archaeological Viking Age material or from modern-day specimens, had an identical mtDNA haplotype to the clade previously linked with Norwegian Vikings. From mtDNA and microsatellite data, the modern-day Icelandic mice also share the low genetic diversity shown by their human hosts on Iceland. Viking Age mice from Greenland had an mtDNA haplotype deriving from the Icelandic haplotype, but the modern-day Greenlandic mice belong to an entirely different mtDNA clade. We found no genetic association between modern Newfoundland mice and the Icelandic/ancient Greenlandic mice (no ancient Newfoundland mice were available). The modern day Icelandic and Newfoundland mice belong to the subspecies M. m. domesticus, the Greenlandic mice to M. m. musculus. In the North Atlantic region, human settlement history over a thousand years is reflected remarkably by the mtDNA phylogeny of house mice. In Iceland, the mtDNA data show the arrival and continuity of the house mouse population to the present day, while in Greenland the data suggest the arrival, subsequent extinction and recolonization of house mice--in both places mirroring the history of the European human host populations. If house mice arrived in Newfoundland with the Viking settlers at all, then, like the humans, their presence was also fleeting and left no

Fellow travellers: a concordance of colonization patterns between mice and men in the North Atlantic region

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background House mice (Mus musculus) are commensals of humans and therefore their phylogeography can reflect human colonization and settlement patterns. Previous studies have linked the distribution of house mouse mitochondrial (mt) DNA clades to areas formerly occupied by the Norwegian Vikings in Norway and the British Isles. Norwegian Viking activity also extended further westwards in the North Atlantic with the settlement of Iceland, short-lived colonies in Greenland and a fleeting colony in Newfoundland in 1000 AD. Here we investigate whether house mouse mtDNA sequences reflect human history in these other regions as well. Results House mice samples from Iceland, whether from archaeological Viking Age material or from modern-day specimens, had an identical mtDNA haplotype to the clade previously linked with Norwegian Vikings. From mtDNA and microsatellite data, the modern-day Icelandic mice also share the low genetic diversity shown by their human hosts on Iceland. Viking Age mice from Greenland had an mtDNA haplotype deriving from the Icelandic haplotype, but the modern-day Greenlandic mice belong to an entirely different mtDNA clade. We found no genetic association between modern Newfoundland mice and the Icelandic/ancient Greenlandic mice (no ancient Newfoundland mice were available). The modern day Icelandic and Newfoundland mice belong to the subspecies M. m. domesticus, the Greenlandic mice to M. m. musculus. Conclusions In the North Atlantic region, human settlement history over a thousand years is reflected remarkably by the mtDNA phylogeny of house mice. In Iceland, the mtDNA data show the arrival and continuity of the house mouse population to the present day, while in Greenland the data suggest the arrival, subsequent extinction and recolonization of house mice - in both places mirroring the history of the European human host populations. If house mice arrived in Newfoundland with the Viking settlers at all, then, like the humans, their presence was

Response of Western Diamondback Rattlesnakes ("Crotalus atrox") to Chemical Cues of Mice ("Mus musculus") of Different Genders and Reproductive Status

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saviola, Anthony J.; Chiszar, David; Bealor, Matthew T.; Smith, Hobart M.

2010-01-01

Eight western diamondback rattlesnakes ("Crotalus atrox") were exposed to 6 stimuli: (1) clean, unused bedding; (2) an adult male mouse; (3) an adult lactating female mouse; (4) an adult lactating female mouse with a litter; (5) 2 adult nonlactating female mice, to control for the extra surface area in Condition 4; and (6) a litter of newborn…

[Musical Inactivity - A Risk Factor? A Short Questionnaire to Assess Musical Activity (MusA)].

PubMed

Fernholz, Isabel; Menzel, Juliane; Jabusch, Hans-Christian; Gembris, Heiner; Fischer, Felix; Kendel, Friederike; Kreutz, Gunter; Schmidt, Alexander; Willich, Stefan N; Weikert, Cornelia

2018-02-27

There is only a limited number of studies on associations between musical activity and health issues. It seems that musical activity has physiological and psychological benefits, as well as effects on the mental capacity, but this has been studied only in a few clinical and epidemiological studies. One reason might be that no appropriate survey instrument assessing musical activity is available. Here we provide an overview of survey instruments that assess musicality and musical activity. One focus is the presentation of a newly developed German questionnaire (MusA), which assesses musical activity (active music making and music reception) and was specifically developed for the "German National Cohort", a German health study. Through literature research, questionnaires were identified that assess musicality and / or musical activity. A new German questionnaire was developed from a panel of experts and tested in a small study (n=121, women and men age 18-70 years). In the literature research, 3 questionnaires were identified which focus on musicality and musical activity with different aspects (Gold-MSI, MUSE, MEQ). All 3 instruments may be characterized as large psychometric scales, which especially assess aspects of musicality in the English language. The Gold-MSI is additionally available in German. None of the existing questionnaires covers musical activities in detail. A new short German questionnaire consisting of 9 questions with a maximum filling time of 3-5 min has been developed. There are few questionnaires available for assessing musicality and musical activity with different aspects. The newly developed MusA in the German language focuses on the assessment of musical activity and is intended to be used in larger, population-based as well as clinical studies, to examine music activities and listening to music as independent factors in connection with prevention and therapy of chronic diseases. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Environmental structure and energetic consequences in groups of young mice.

PubMed

Shelton, Delia S; Meyer, Paul M; Ocasio, Karen M

2017-08-01

Microenvironments can have considerable physiological consequences for the inhabitants by influencing the movements of individual members. The microenvironment can permit more diverse aggregation patterns or restrict movements to certain dimensions. Here, we tested whether aspects of the microenvironment that influenced aggregation patterns also influenced the energetics of groups of young animals. We tested the effects of enclosure configuration on the group temperature and respiration of infant mice (Mus musculus). We monitored the huddle temperature and respiration of groups in flat, concave and conical enclosures, which varied in shape and available space, and consequently the types of movements they permitted. We found that the amount of available space (or density) had a stronger effect on the group temperature than did the shape of the enclosure or types of permissible movements. We found no evidence that density or shape of the arena strongly affected the respiration rate of the group, with groups showing similar levels of oxygen consumption in all treatments. The lower density enclosures conveyed a considerable metabolic savings to groups in comparison to those tested in a higher density enclosure. These findings show density can have a large effect on the energetics of young mice, and provide insights on how simple features of the environment will influence physiology in a changing world. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

University of California San Francisco (UCSF-2): Gene Expression Profiling of Normal Mouse Skin, Hras WT and Hras -/- | Office of Cancer Genomics

Cancer.gov

This data set contains the transcriptional profiles of 20 dorsal skin samples from eight-week-old mice. Mice were generated by crossing FVB/N to Mus spretus mice to generate F1 mice, and then crossing F1 mice back to the FVB/N strain. 10  FVB/N mice lacking Hras1 (aka HrasKO, Hras-/-) and 10  FVB/N mice with wild-type Hras1 were generated. Read the abstract.

Inhibition of toll-like receptor 3-4 with ethanolic extract of propolis on innate immunity in diabetes mellitus mice (Mus musculus)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pristiwanto, Bambang; Soewondo, A.; Sumitro, Sutiman B.; Rifa'i, Muhaimin

2017-05-01

One of the most significant problems today is to treat the effects of metabolic diseases, such as diabetes. Thus, this study evaluated the ability of an ethanolic extract of propolis (EEP) to reduce inflammation in diabetes treatment. The used mice with STZ-induced diabetes mellitus (SID) and the expression of Toll-Like Receptor 3-4 was analyzed in their innate immunity cells. The SID mice had a higher TLR 3-4 expression compared with the healthy control group. Treatment of EEP in SID using three different doses significantly decreased the number of B cells with TLR 3-4 expression. This suggesting that EEP treatment decreases TLR3 & TLR4 expression on innate immunity (especially B cells) from over expression in SID which can affect the acute inflammatory and aggravate the diabetes condition. Even relatively low doses of propolis extract can decrease TLR3 and TLR4 expressed by B cell.

DNase I nick translation in situ on meiotic chromosomes of the mouse, Mus musculus.

PubMed

Raman, R; Singh, A P; Nanda, I

1988-08-01

DNase-I-sensitive sites have been located on the meiotic chromosomes of the mouse, Mus musculus, by the in situ DNase I nick-translation method. We find that: (1) of all the cell types studied, pachytene nuclei are the most sensitive to DNase I; (2) in diplotene the nicks occur preferentially in the vicinity of chiasmata; (3) the sex chromosomes are also sensitive to the enzyme despite their transcriptional quiescence; and (4) in the sex bivalent the nicks are primarily observed in the putative region of recombination. We conclude that, in addition to discriminating between the transcriptionally active and inactive states of chromatin, DNase I identifies recombination-specific chromatin changes in meiotic prophase.

A nucleotide substitution responsible for the tawny coat color mutation carried by the MSKR inbred strain of mice.

PubMed

Wada, A; Kunieda, T; Nishimura, M; Kakizoe-Ishida, Y; Watanabe, N; Ohkawa, K; Tsudzuki, M

2005-01-01

"Tawny" is an autosomal recessive coat color mutation found in a wild population of Mus musculus molossinus. The inbred strain MSKR carries the mutation. The causative gene Mc1r(taw) of the tawny phenotype is the second recessive allele at the melanocortin 1 receptor locus and is dominant to the first recessive allele, "recessive yellow" (Mc1r(e)). The Mc1r(taw) gene has six nucleotide substitutions, and its forecasted transcript has three amino acid substitutions (i.e., V101A, V216A, W252C). Though the nucleotide substitutions leading to V101A and V216A exist in various mouse strains, the nucleotide substitution leading to W252C exists in only tawny-colored mice. Thus this substitution is considered to be responsible for the expression of the tawny coat color. The frequency of the allele having this nucleotide substitution was 9.21% in the wild M. m. molossinus population inhabiting Sakai City, Osaka Prefecture, Japan, where the ancestral mice of the MSKR strain were captured.

Infrared Spectroscopy of Symbiotic Stars. XI. Orbits for Southern S-type Systems: Hen 3-461, SY Mus, Hen 3-828, AND AR Pav

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fekel, Francis C.; Hinkle, Kenneth H.; Joyce, Richard R.; Wood, Peter R.

2017-01-01

Employing new infrared radial velocities, we have computed spectroscopic orbits of the cool giants in four southern S-type symbiotic systems. The orbits for two of the systems, Hen 3-461 and Hen 3-828, have been determined for the first time, while orbits of the other two, SY Mus and AR Pav, have previously been determined. For the latter two systems, we compare our results with those in the literature. The low mass of the secondary of SY Mus suggests that it has gone through a common envelope phase. Hen 3-461 has an orbital period of 2271 days, one of the longest currently known for S-type symbiotic systems. That period is very different from the orbital period proposed previously from its photometric variations. The other three binaries have periods between 600 and 700 day, values that are typical for S-type symbiotic orbits. Basic properties of the M giant components and the distance to each system are determined.

Whole Genome Sequence of Two Wild-Derived Mus musculus domesticus Inbred Strains, LEWES/EiJ and ZALENDE/EiJ, with Different Diploid Numbers

PubMed Central

Morgan, Andrew P.; Didion, John P.; Doran, Anthony G.; Holt, James M.; McMillan, Leonard; Keane, Thomas M.; de Villena, Fernando Pardo-Manuel

2016-01-01

Wild-derived mouse inbred strains are becoming increasingly popular for complex traits analysis, evolutionary studies, and systems genetics. Here, we report the whole-genome sequencing of two wild-derived mouse inbred strains, LEWES/EiJ and ZALENDE/EiJ, of Mus musculus domesticus origin. These two inbred strains were selected based on their geographic origin, karyotype, and use in ongoing research. We generated 14× and 18× coverage sequence, respectively, and discovered over 1.1 million novel variants, most of which are private to one of these strains. This report expands the number of wild-derived inbred genomes in the Mus genus from six to eight. The sequence variation can be accessed via an online query tool; variant calls (VCF format) and alignments (BAM format) are available for download from a dedicated ftp site. Finally, the sequencing data have also been stored in a lossless, compressed, and indexed format using the multi-string Burrows-Wheeler transform. All data can be used without restriction. PMID:27765810

The Effect of Gentle Handling on Depressive-Like Behavior in Adult Male Mice: Considerations for Human and Rodent Interactions in the Laboratory

PubMed Central

Lane, Christina; Torres, Julio; Flinn, Jane

2018-01-01

Environmental factors play a significant role in well-being of laboratory animals. Regulations and guidelines recommend, if not require, that stressors such as bright lighting, smells, and noises are eliminated or reduced to maximize animal well-being. A factor that is often overlooked is handling and how researchers interact with their animals. Researchers, lab assistants, and husbandry staff in animal facilities may use inconsistent handling methods when interacting with rodents, but humans should be considered a part of the animal's social environment. This study examined the effects of different handling techniques on depressive-like behavior, measured by the Porsolt forced swim test, in adult C57BL/6J male mice. The same two researchers handled the mice in a gentle, aggressive, or minimal (control) fashion over approximately two weeks prior to testing. The results demonstrated a beneficial effect of gentle handling: gentle handling reduced swimming immobility in the forced swim test compared to mice that were aggressively or minimally handled. We argue that gentle handling, rather than methodical handling, can foster a better relationship between the handlers and rodents. Although handling is not standardized across labs, consistent gentle handling allows for less challenging behavioral testing, better data collection, and overall improved animal welfare. PMID:29692869

The Effect of Gentle Handling on Depressive-Like Behavior in Adult Male Mice: Considerations for Human and Rodent Interactions in the Laboratory.

PubMed

Neely, Caroline; Lane, Christina; Torres, Julio; Flinn, Jane

2018-01-01

Environmental factors play a significant role in well-being of laboratory animals. Regulations and guidelines recommend, if not require, that stressors such as bright lighting, smells, and noises are eliminated or reduced to maximize animal well-being. A factor that is often overlooked is handling and how researchers interact with their animals. Researchers, lab assistants, and husbandry staff in animal facilities may use inconsistent handling methods when interacting with rodents, but humans should be considered a part of the animal's social environment. This study examined the effects of different handling techniques on depressive-like behavior, measured by the Porsolt forced swim test, in adult C57BL/6J male mice. The same two researchers handled the mice in a gentle, aggressive, or minimal (control) fashion over approximately two weeks prior to testing. The results demonstrated a beneficial effect of gentle handling: gentle handling reduced swimming immobility in the forced swim test compared to mice that were aggressively or minimally handled. We argue that gentle handling, rather than methodical handling, can foster a better relationship between the handlers and rodents. Although handling is not standardized across labs, consistent gentle handling allows for less challenging behavioral testing, better data collection, and overall improved animal welfare.

In vivo toxicity of the culturable marine cyanobacterium Geitlerinema pseudacutissimum CNP 1019 extract on male Swiss albino mice (Mus musculus).

PubMed

Maruthanayagam, Veerabadhran; Nagarajan, Manivel; Sundararaman, Muthuraman

2014-01-01

In this study, we investigated the in vivo toxicity of Geitlerinema pseudacutissimum CNP 1019 organic extract in a murine host. A single intraperitoneal injection of 1 g extract kg⁻¹ body weight (BW) did not exhibit mortality, whereas 3 g extract kg⁻¹ BW (approximate lethal dose) resulted in mortality within 5 days. To perform subchronic exposure toxicity analyses (i.e., daily exposure for a total of 14 days), a maximum concentration of ≤1 g extract kg⁻¹ BW was used. Subchronic toxicity studies in the treated mice, showed fluctuations of feed intake, loss of body weight, increase in specific activity of serum lactate dehydrogenase, alanine aminotransferase and decrease in whole serum protein concentration. LDH isoenzyme expression was found, and levels of the various isoforms were decreased as a result of the treatment. Histopathology studies in liver, kidney, and spleen isolated from the treated mice showed the presence of necrotic debris, hemorrhage, and micronuclei revealing the toxicity of the extract. The dose-dependent alterations in biochemical parameters in conjunction with the histological lesions noted in the animals treated with the prepared extract illustrate the likely potential toxicity to mammals from any encounters with the studied cyanobacterium.

PRDM9 Drives Evolutionary Erosion of Hotspots in Mus musculus through Haplotype-Specific Initiation of Meiotic Recombination

PubMed Central

Baker, Christopher L.; Kajita, Shimpei; Walker, Michael; Saxl, Ruth L.; Raghupathy, Narayanan; Choi, Kwangbom; Petkov, Petko M.; Paigen, Kenneth

2015-01-01

Meiotic recombination generates new genetic variation and assures the proper segregation of chromosomes in gametes. PRDM9, a zinc finger protein with histone methyltransferase activity, initiates meiotic recombination by binding DNA at recombination hotspots and directing the position of DNA double-strand breaks (DSB). The DSB repair mechanism suggests that hotspots should eventually self-destruct, yet genome-wide recombination levels remain constant, a conundrum known as the hotspot paradox. To test if PRDM9 drives this evolutionary erosion, we measured activity of the Prdm9 Cst allele in two Mus musculus subspecies, M.m. castaneus, in which Prdm9Cst arose, and M.m. domesticus, into which Prdm9Cst was introduced experimentally. Comparing these two strains, we find that haplotype differences at hotspots lead to qualitative and quantitative changes in PRDM9 binding and activity. Using Mus spretus as an outlier, we found most variants affecting PRDM9Cst binding arose and were fixed in M.m. castaneus, suppressing hotspot activity. Furthermore, M.m. castaneus×M.m. domesticus F1 hybrids exhibit novel hotspots, with large haplotype biases in both PRDM9 binding and chromatin modification. These novel hotspots represent sites of historic evolutionary erosion that become activated in hybrids due to crosstalk between one parent's Prdm9 allele and the opposite parent's chromosome. Together these data support a model where haplotype-specific PRDM9 binding directs biased gene conversion at hotspots, ultimately leading to hotspot erosion. PMID:25568937

PRDM9 drives evolutionary erosion of hotspots in Mus musculus through haplotype-specific initiation of meiotic recombination.

PubMed

Baker, Christopher L; Kajita, Shimpei; Walker, Michael; Saxl, Ruth L; Raghupathy, Narayanan; Choi, Kwangbom; Petkov, Petko M; Paigen, Kenneth

2015-01-01

Meiotic recombination generates new genetic variation and assures the proper segregation of chromosomes in gametes. PRDM9, a zinc finger protein with histone methyltransferase activity, initiates meiotic recombination by binding DNA at recombination hotspots and directing the position of DNA double-strand breaks (DSB). The DSB repair mechanism suggests that hotspots should eventually self-destruct, yet genome-wide recombination levels remain constant, a conundrum known as the hotspot paradox. To test if PRDM9 drives this evolutionary erosion, we measured activity of the Prdm9Cst allele in two Mus musculus subspecies, M.m. castaneus, in which Prdm9Cst arose, and M.m. domesticus, into which Prdm9Cst was introduced experimentally. Comparing these two strains, we find that haplotype differences at hotspots lead to qualitative and quantitative changes in PRDM9 binding and activity. Using Mus spretus as an outlier, we found most variants affecting PRDM9Cst binding arose and were fixed in M.m. castaneus, suppressing hotspot activity. Furthermore, M.m. castaneus×M.m. domesticus F1 hybrids exhibit novel hotspots, with large haplotype biases in both PRDM9 binding and chromatin modification. These novel hotspots represent sites of historic evolutionary erosion that become activated in hybrids due to crosstalk between one parent's Prdm9 allele and the opposite parent's chromosome. Together these data support a model where haplotype-specific PRDM9 binding directs biased gene conversion at hotspots, ultimately leading to hotspot erosion.

Safety management and risk assessment in chemical laboratories.

PubMed

Marendaz, Jean-Luc; Friedrich, Kirstin; Meyer, Thierry

2011-01-01

The present paper highlights a new safety management program, MICE (Management, Information, Control and Emergency), which has been specifically adapted for the academic environment. The process starts with an exhaustive hazard inventory supported by a platform assembling specific hazards encountered in laboratories and their subsequent classification. A proof of concept is given by a series of implementations in the domain of chemistry targeting workplace health protection. The methodology is expressed through three examples to illustrate how the MICE program can be used to address safety concerns regarding chemicals, strong magnetic fields and nanoparticles in research laboratories. A comprehensive chemical management program is also depicted.

Hepatic Transcriptome Responses in Mice (Mus musculus) Exposed to the Nafion Membrane and Its Combustion Products

PubMed Central

Feng, Mingbao; Qu, Ruijuan; Habteselassie, Mussie; Wu, Jun; Yang, Shaogui; Sun, Ping; Huang, Qingguo; Wang, Zunyao

2015-01-01

Nafion 117 membrane (N117), an important polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM), has been widely used for numerous chemical technologies. Despite its increasing production and use, the toxicity data for N117 and its combustion products remain lacking. Toxicity studies are necessary to avoid problems related to waste disposal in landfills and incineration that may arise. In this study, we investigated the histopathological alterations, oxidative stress biomarker responses, and transcriptome profiles in the liver of male mice exposed to N117 and its combustion products for 24 days. An ion-chromatography system and liquid chromatography system coupled to a hybrid quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry were used to analyze the chemical compositions of these combustion products. The transcriptomics analysis identified several significantly altered molecular pathways, including the metabolism of xenobiotics, carbohydrates and lipids; signal transduction; cellular processes; immune system; and signaling molecules and interaction. These studies provide preliminary data for the potential toxicity of N117 and its combustion products on living organisms and may fill the information gaps in the toxicity databases for the currently used PEMs. PMID:26057616

Effect of Ventilated Caging on Water Intake and Loss in 4 Strains of Laboratory Mice

PubMed Central

Nicolaus, Mackenzie L; Bergdall, Valerie K; Davis, Ian C; Hickman-Davis, Judy M

2016-01-01

Food availability, temperature, humidity, strain, and caging type all affect water consumption by mice. Measurement of transepidermal water loss (TEWL) is a new technique for the quantification of water turnover in mice. To understand water turnover in common strains of adult mice, male and female SCID, SKH, C57BL/6, and FVB mice were housed in same-sex groups of 5 animals in static cages or IVC. Body weight, TEWL, urine osmolality, and water consumption of mice and intracage temperature and humidity were measured every 48 h for comparison. Static cages were monitored for 7 d and IVC for 14 d before cage change. Female SCID, FVB, and C57 mice drank less water than did their male counterparts. Male and female SCID, SKH, and FVB mice in IVC drank less water and had higher urine osmolality than did those in static cages. In SCID and SKH mice, TEWL paralleled water consumption. C57 mice in static cages drank less water, had lower urine osmolality, and had less TEWL than did those in IVC. Temperature and humidity within the cage was higher than the macroenvironmental levels for all housing conditions, mouse strains, and sexes. Temperatures within IVC ranged from 76.6 to 81.4 °F compared with 69 ± 0.4 °F in the room. Humidity within IVC ranged from 68% to 79% compared with 27.o% ± 2.7% within the room. These data demonstrate that mouse strain and housing conditions significantly influence water balance and indicate that macroenvironmental measurements do not always reflect the intracage environment. PMID:27657706

Genetics of Genome-Wide Recombination Rate Evolution in Mice from an Isolated Island.

PubMed

Wang, Richard J; Payseur, Bret A

2017-08-01

Recombination rate is a heritable quantitative trait that evolves despite the fundamentally conserved role that recombination plays in meiosis. Differences in recombination rate can alter the landscape of the genome and the genetic diversity of populations. Yet our understanding of the genetic basis of recombination rate evolution in nature remains limited. We used wild house mice ( Mus musculus domesticus ) from Gough Island (GI), which diverged recently from their mainland counterparts, to characterize the genetics of recombination rate evolution. We quantified genome-wide autosomal recombination rates by immunofluorescence cytology in spermatocytes from 240 F 2 males generated from intercrosses between GI-derived mice and the wild-derived inbred strain WSB/EiJ. We identified four quantitative trait loci (QTL) responsible for inter-F 2 variation in this trait, the strongest of which had effects that opposed the direction of the parental trait differences. Candidate genes and mutations for these QTL were identified by overlapping the detected intervals with whole-genome sequencing data and publicly available transcriptomic profiles from spermatocytes. Combined with existing studies, our findings suggest that genome-wide recombination rate divergence is not directional and its evolution within and between subspecies proceeds from distinct genetic loci. Copyright © 2017 by the Genetics Society of America.

Tooth Morphogenesis and FGF4 Expression During Development of Molar Tooth in Three Muroid Rodents: Calomyscus elburzensis (Calomyscidae), Mesocricetus auratus (Cricetidae) and Mus musculus (Muridae).

PubMed

Hamidi, Kordiyeh; Darvish, Jamshid; Matin, Maryam M; Javanmard, Athar Sadat; Kilpatrick, C William

2017-12-01

To date, no studies have examined the tooth formation during developmental stages of brush-tailed mice (Calomyscidae) and true hamsters (Cricetidae). Herein, we compared the timing of tooth morphogenesis and FGF4 expression pattern during development of the first lower molar in Goodwin's brush-tailed mouse, Calomyscus elburzensis with two other muroid rodents; the house mouse, Mus musculus (Muridae), model organism for tooth morphogenesis, and the golden hamster, Mesocricetus auratus which shares great similarities in cusp pattern with brush-tailed mice. All three species were bred in captivity and developing embryos were isolated at different embryonic days (E). Histological evaluation of lower molars was performed and spatiotemporal pattern of FGF4 expression was determined by immunohistochemistry. Results indicated that morphogenesis of the tooth cusps starts at the beginning of the cap stage of the first lower molar (E14 in house mouse, about E11.5 in golden hamster and E22 in Goodwin's brush-tailed mouse). During the cap to bell stage (E15 in house mouse, E12 in golden hamster and at about E24 in Goodwin's brush-tailed mouse), a decrease in the expression of FGF4 was observed in the mesenchyme, except for the cusp tips. According to our observations, the developmental process of the first lower molar formation in Goodwin's brush-tailed mouse began much later as compared with the other two species. Despite the differences in the temporal pattern of molar development between these three members of the same superfamily (Muroidea), the correlation in the expression of FGF4 with specific stages of tooth morphogenesis supported its regulatory function. Anat Rec, 300:2138-2149, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Molecular insights into the colonization and chromosomal diversification of Madeiran house mice.

PubMed

Förster, D W; Gündüz, I; Nunes, A C; Gabriel, S; Ramalhinho, M G; Mathias, M L; Britton-Davidian, J; Searle, J B

2009-11-01

The colonization history of Madeiran house mice was investigated by analysing the complete mitochondrial (mt) D-loop sequences of 156 mice from the island of Madeira and mainland Portugal, extending on previous studies. The numbers of mtDNA haplotypes from Madeira and mainland Portugal were substantially increased (17 and 14 new haplotypes respectively), and phylogenetic analysis confirmed the previously reported link between the Madeiran archipelago and northern Europe. Sequence analysis revealed the presence of four mtDNA lineages in mainland Portugal, of which one was particularly common and widespread (termed the 'Portugal Main Clade'). There was no support for population bottlenecks during the formation of the six Robertsonian chromosome races on the island of Madeira, and D-loop sequence variation was not found to be structured according to karyotype. The colonization time of the Madeiran archipelago by Mus musculus domesticus was approached using two molecular dating methods (mismatch distribution and Bayesian skyline plot). Time estimates based on D-loop sequence variation at mainland sites (including previously published data from France and Turkey) were evaluated in the context of the zooarchaeological record of M. m. domesticus. A range of values for mutation rate (mu) and number of mouse generations per year was considered in these analyses because of the uncertainty surrounding these two parameters. The colonization of Portugal and Madeira by house mice is discussed in the context of the best-supported parameter values. In keeping with recent studies, our results suggest that mutation rate estimates based on interspecific divergence lead to gross overestimates concerning the timing of recent within-species events.

Expression of stress hormones AVP and CRH in the hypothalamus of Mus musculus following water and food deprivation.

PubMed

Yadawa, Arun Kumar; Chaturvedi, Chandra Mohini

2016-12-01

Neurohypophyseal hormone, arginine vasopressin (AVP), in addition to acting as antidiuretic hormone is also considered to be stress hormone like hypothalamic corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH). Present study was designed to investigate the relative response of these stress hormones during water and food deprivation. In this study, male laboratory mice of Swiss strain were divided in 5 groups, control - provided water and food ad libitum, two experimental groups water deprived for 2 and 4days respectively (WD2 and WD4) and another two groups food deprived for 2 and 4days respectively (FD2 and FD4). Results indicate an increased expression of AVP mRNA as well as peptide in the hypothalamus of WD2 mice and the expression was further upregulated after 4days of water deprivation but the expression of CRH remained unchanged compare to their respective controls. On the other hand no change was observed in the expression of hypothalamic AVP mRNA while AVP peptide increased significantly in FD2 and FD4 mice compare to control. Further, the expression of CRH mRNA although increased in hypothalamus of both FD2 and FD4 mice, the immunofluorescent staining shows decreased expression of CRH in PVN of food deprived mice. Based on these findings it is concluded that since during osmotic stress only AVP expression is upregulated but during metabolic stress i.e. food deprivation transcription and translation of both the stress hormones are differentially regulated. Further, it is suggested that role of AVP and CRH may be stress specific. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Genome Patterns of Selection and Introgression of Haplotypes in Natural Populations of the House Mouse (Mus musculus)

PubMed Central

Staubach, Fabian; Lorenc, Anna; Messer, Philipp W.; Tang, Kun; Petrov, Dmitri A.; Tautz, Diethard

2012-01-01

General parameters of selection, such as the frequency and strength of positive selection in natural populations or the role of introgression, are still insufficiently understood. The house mouse (Mus musculus) is a particularly well-suited model system to approach such questions, since it has a defined history of splits into subspecies and populations and since extensive genome information is available. We have used high-density single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) typing arrays to assess genomic patterns of positive selection and introgression of alleles in two natural populations of each of the subspecies M. m. domesticus and M. m. musculus. Applying different statistical procedures, we find a large number of regions subject to apparent selective sweeps, indicating frequent positive selection on rare alleles or novel mutations. Genes in the regions include well-studied imprinted loci (e.g. Plagl1/Zac1), homologues of human genes involved in adaptations (e.g. alpha-amylase genes) or in genetic diseases (e.g. Huntingtin and Parkin). Haplotype matching between the two subspecies reveals a large number of haplotypes that show patterns of introgression from specific populations of the respective other subspecies, with at least 10% of the genome being affected by partial or full introgression. Using neutral simulations for comparison, we find that the size and the fraction of introgressed haplotypes are not compatible with a pure migration or incomplete lineage sorting model. Hence, it appears that introgressed haplotypes can rise in frequency due to positive selection and thus can contribute to the adaptive genomic landscape of natural populations. Our data support the notion that natural genomes are subject to complex adaptive processes, including the introgression of haplotypes from other differentiated populations or species at a larger scale than previously assumed for animals. This implies that some of the admixture found in inbred strains of mice may also have

Combinatorial Regulation of Meiotic Holliday Junction Resolution in C. elegans by HIM-6 (BLM) Helicase, SLX-4, and the SLX-1, MUS-81 and XPF-1 Nucleases

PubMed Central

Sonneville, Remi; Jagut, Marlène; Woglar, Alexander; Blow, Julian; Jantsch, Verena; Gartner, Anton

2013-01-01

Holliday junctions (HJs) are cruciform DNA structures that are created during recombination events. It is a matter of considerable importance to determine the resolvase(s) that promote resolution of these structures. We previously reported that C. elegans GEN-1 is a symmetrically cleaving HJ resolving enzyme required for recombinational repair, but we could not find an overt role in meiotic recombination. Here we identify C. elegans proteins involved in resolving meiotic HJs. We found no evidence for a redundant meiotic function of GEN-1. In contrast, we discovered two redundant HJ resolution pathways likely coordinated by the SLX-4 scaffold protein and also involving the HIM-6/BLM helicase. SLX-4 associates with the SLX-1, MUS-81 and XPF-1 nucleases and has been implicated in meiotic recombination in C. elegans. We found that C. elegans [mus-81; xpf-1], [slx-1; xpf-1], [mus-81; him-6] and [slx-1; him-6] double mutants showed a similar reduction in survival rates as slx-4. Analysis of meiotic diakinesis chromosomes revealed a distinct phenotype in these double mutants. Instead of wild-type bivalent chromosomes, pairs of “univalents” linked by chromatin bridges occur. These linkages depend on the conserved meiosis-specific transesterase SPO-11 and can be restored by ionizing radiation, suggesting that they represent unresolved meiotic HJs. This suggests the existence of two major resolvase activities, one provided by XPF-1 and HIM-6, the other by SLX-1 and MUS-81. In all double mutants crossover (CO) recombination is reduced but not abolished, indicative of further redundancy in meiotic HJ resolution. Real time imaging revealed extensive chromatin bridges during the first meiotic division that appear to be eventually resolved in meiosis II, suggesting back-up resolution activities acting at or after anaphase I. We also show that in HJ resolution mutants, the restructuring of chromosome arms distal and proximal to the CO still occurs, suggesting that CO

Combinatorial regulation of meiotic holliday junction resolution in C. elegans by HIM-6 (BLM) helicase, SLX-4, and the SLX-1, MUS-81 and XPF-1 nucleases.

PubMed

Agostinho, Ana; Meier, Bettina; Sonneville, Remi; Jagut, Marlène; Woglar, Alexander; Blow, Julian; Jantsch, Verena; Gartner, Anton

2013-01-01

Holliday junctions (HJs) are cruciform DNA structures that are created during recombination events. It is a matter of considerable importance to determine the resolvase(s) that promote resolution of these structures. We previously reported that C. elegans GEN-1 is a symmetrically cleaving HJ resolving enzyme required for recombinational repair, but we could not find an overt role in meiotic recombination. Here we identify C. elegans proteins involved in resolving meiotic HJs. We found no evidence for a redundant meiotic function of GEN-1. In contrast, we discovered two redundant HJ resolution pathways likely coordinated by the SLX-4 scaffold protein and also involving the HIM-6/BLM helicase. SLX-4 associates with the SLX-1, MUS-81 and XPF-1 nucleases and has been implicated in meiotic recombination in C. elegans. We found that C. elegans [mus-81; xpf-1], [slx-1; xpf-1], [mus-81; him-6] and [slx-1; him-6] double mutants showed a similar reduction in survival rates as slx-4. Analysis of meiotic diakinesis chromosomes revealed a distinct phenotype in these double mutants. Instead of wild-type bivalent chromosomes, pairs of "univalents" linked by chromatin bridges occur. These linkages depend on the conserved meiosis-specific transesterase SPO-11 and can be restored by ionizing radiation, suggesting that they represent unresolved meiotic HJs. This suggests the existence of two major resolvase activities, one provided by XPF-1 and HIM-6, the other by SLX-1 and MUS-81. In all double mutants crossover (CO) recombination is reduced but not abolished, indicative of further redundancy in meiotic HJ resolution. Real time imaging revealed extensive chromatin bridges during the first meiotic division that appear to be eventually resolved in meiosis II, suggesting back-up resolution activities acting at or after anaphase I. We also show that in HJ resolution mutants, the restructuring of chromosome arms distal and proximal to the CO still occurs, suggesting that CO initiation

ASYMMETRY AND POLYMORPHISM OF HYBRID MALE STERILITY DURING THE EARLY STAGES OF SPECIATION IN HOUSE MICE

PubMed Central

Good, Jeffrey M.; Handel, Mary Ann; Nachman, Michael W.

2010-01-01

House mice offer a powerful system for dissecting the genetic basis of phenotypes that isolate species in the early stages of speciation. We used a series of reciprocal crosses between wild-derived strains of Mus musculus and M. domesticus to examine F1 hybrid male sterility, one of the primary phenotypes thought to isolate these species. We report four main results. First, we found significantly smaller testes and fewer sperm in hybrid male progeny of most crosses. Second, in some crosses hybrid male sterility was asymmetric and depended on the species origin of the X chromosome. These observations confirm and extend previous findings, underscoring the central role that the M. musculus X chromosome plays in reproductive isolation. Third, comparisons among reciprocal crosses revealed polymorphism at one or more hybrid incompatibilities within M. musculus. Fourth, the spermatogenic phenotype of this polymorphic interaction appears distinct from previously described hybrid incompatibilities between these species. These data build on previous studies of speciation in house mice and show that the genetic basis of hybrid male sterility is fairly complex, even at this early stage of divergence. PMID:18005156

Euthanasia of neonatal mice with carbon dioxide

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pritchett, K.; Corrow, D.; Stockwell, J.; Smith, A.

2005-01-01

Exposure to carbon dioxide (CO2) is the most prevalent method used to euthanize rodents in biomedical research. The purpose of this study was to determine the time of CO2 exposure required to euthanize neonatal mice (0 to 10 days old). Multiple groups of mice were exposed to 100% CO 2 for time periods between 5 and 60 min. Mice were placed in room air for 10 or 20 min after CO2 exposure, to allow for the chance of recovery. If mice recovered at one time point, a longer exposure was examined. Inbred and outbred mice were compared. Results of the study indicated that time to death varied with the age of the animals and could be as long as 50 min on the day of birth and differed between inbred and outbred mice. Institutions euthanizing neonatal mice with CO2 may wish to adjust their CO 2 exposure time periods according the age of the mice and their genetic background. Copyright 2005 by the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science.

Severity of Group B Streptococcal Arthritis in Selected Strains of Laboratory Mice

PubMed Central

Puliti, Manuela; Bistoni, Francesco; von Hunolstein, Christina; Orefici, Graziella; Tissi, Luciana

2001-01-01

The susceptibilities of C3H/HeN, BALB/c, and C57BL/6N mouse strains to group B streptococci (GBS) infection were evaluated. C3H/HeN mice developed severe polyarthitis; mild lesions and no lesions were observed in BALB/c and C57BL/6N mice, respectively. A correlation between the severity of arthritis, the number of GBS in the joints, and local interleukin-6 and interleukin-1β production was evident. PMID:11119551

Compared to sucrose, previous consumption of fructose and glucose monosaccharides reduces survival and fitness of female mice.

PubMed

Ruff, James S; Hugentobler, Sara A; Suchy, Amanda K; Sosa, Mirtha M; Tanner, Ruth E; Hite, Megumi E; Morrison, Linda C; Gieng, Sin H; Shigenaga, Mark K; Potts, Wayne K

2015-03-01

Intake of added sugar has been shown to correlate with many human metabolic diseases, and rodent models have characterized numerous aspects of the resulting disease phenotypes. However, there is a controversy about whether differential health effects occur because of the consumption of either of the two common types of added sugar-high-fructose corn syrup (fructose and glucose monosaccharides; F/G) or table sugar (sucrose, a fructose and glucose disaccharide). We tested the equivalence of sucrose- vs. F/G-containing diets on mouse (Mus musculus) longevity, reproductive success, and social dominance. We fed wild-derived mice, outbred mice descended from wild-caught ancestors, a diet in which 25% of the calories came from either an equal ratio of F/G or an isocaloric amount of sucrose (both diets had 63% of total calories as carbohydrates). Exposure lasted 40 wk, starting at weaning (21 d of age), and then mice (104 females and 56 males) were released into organismal performances assays-seminatural enclosures where mice competed for territories, resources, and mates for 32 wk. Within enclosures all mice consumed the F/G diet. Females initially fed the F/G diet experienced a mortality rate 1.9 times the rate (P = 0.012) and produced 26.4% fewer offspring than females initially fed sucrose (P = 0.001). This reproductive deficiency was present before mortality differences, suggesting the F/G diet was causing physiologic performance deficits prior to mortality. No differential patterns in survival, reproduction, or social dominance were observed in males, indicating a sex-specific outcome of exposure. This study provides experimental evidence that the consumption of human-relevant levels of F/G is more deleterious than an isocaloric amount of sucrose for key organism-level health measures in female mice. © 2015 American Society for Nutrition.

High basal metabolic rate does not elevate oxidative stress during reproduction in laboratory mice.

PubMed

Brzęk, Paweł; Książek, Aneta; Ołdakowski, Łukasz; Konarzewski, Marek

2014-05-01

Increased oxidative stress (OS) has been suggested as a physiological cost of reproduction. However, previous studies reported ambiguous results, with some even showing a reduction of oxidative damage during reproduction. We tested whether the link between reproduction and OS is mediated by basal metabolic rate (BMR), which has been hypothesized to affect both the rate of radical oxygen species production and antioxidative capacity. We studied the effect of reproduction on OS in females of laboratory mice divergently selected for high (H-BMR) and low (L-BMR) BMR, previously shown to differ with respect to parental investment. Non-reproducing L-BMR females showed higher oxidative damage to lipids (quantified as the level of malondialdehyde in internal organ tissues) and DNA (quantified as the level of 8-oxodG in blood serum) than H-BMR females. Reproduction did not affect oxidative damage to lipids in either line; however, it reduced damage to DNA in L-BMR females. Reproduction increased catalase activity in liver (significantly stronger in L-BMR females) and decreased it in kidneys. We conclude that the effect of reproduction on OS depends on the initial variation in BMR and varies between studied internal organs and markers of OS.

Troxerutin abrogates mitochondrial oxidative stress and myocardial apoptosis in mice fed calorie-rich diet.

PubMed

Geetha, Rajagopalan; Sathiya Priya, Chandrasekaran; Anuradha, Carani Venkatraman

2017-12-25

Mitochondrial oxidative stress plays a major role in the pathogenesis of myocardial apoptosis in metabolic syndrome (MS) patients. In this study, we investigated the effect of troxerutin (TX), an antioxidant on mitochondrial oxidative stress and apoptotic markers in heart of mice fed fat and fructose-rich diet. Adult male Mus musculus mice were fed either control diet or high fat, high fructose diet (HFFD) for 60 days to induce MS. Mice from each dietary group were divided into two on the 16th day and were either treated or untreated with TX (150 mg/kg bw, p.o) for the next 45 days. At the end of the study, mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, oxidative stress markers, levels of intracellular calcium, cardiolipin content, cytochrome c release and apoptotic markers were examined in the myocardium. HFFD-feeding resulted in diminution of antioxidants and increased ROS production, lipid peroxidation and oxidatively modified adducts of 8-OHG, 4-HNE and 3-NT. Further increase in Ca 2+ levels, low levels of calcium transporters and decrease in cardiolipin content were noted. Changes in the mitochondrial structure were observed by electron microscopy. Furthermore, cytochrome c release, increase in proapoptotic proteins (APAF-1, BAX, caspases-9 and-3) and decrease in antiapoptotic protein (BCL-2) in HFFD-fed mice suggest myocardial apoptosis. These changes were significantly restored by TX supplementation. TX administration effectively attenuated cardiac apoptosis and exerted a protective role by increasing antioxidant potential and by improving mitochondrial function. Thus, TX could be a promising therapeutic candidate for treating cardiac disease in MS patients. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Olfactory Sensitivity for Six Predator Odorants in CD-1 Mice, Human Subjects, and Spider Monkeys

PubMed Central

Sarrafchi, Amir; Odhammer, Anna M. E.; Hernandez Salazar, Laura Teresa; Laska, Matthias

2013-01-01

Using a conditioning paradigm, we assessed the olfactory sensitivity of six CD-1 mice (Mus musculus) for six sulfur-containing odorants known to be components of the odors of natural predators of the mouse. With all six odorants, the mice discriminated concentrations <0.1 ppm (parts per million) from the solvent, and with five of the six odorants the best-scoring animals were even able to detect concentrations <1 ppt (parts per trillion). Four female spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi) and twelve human subjects (Homo sapiens) tested in parallel were found to detect the same six odorants at concentrations <0.01 ppm, and with four of the six odorants the best-scoring animals and subjects even detected concentrations <10 ppt. With all three species, the threshold values obtained here are generally lower than (or in the lower range of) those reported for other chemical classes tested previously, suggesting that sulfur-containing odorants may play a special role in olfaction. Across-species comparisons showed that the mice were significantly more sensitive than the human subjects and the spider monkeys with four of the six predator odorants. However, the human subjects were significantly more sensitive than the mice with the remaining two odorants. Human subjects and spider monkeys significantly differed in their sensitivity with only two of the six odorants. These comparisons lend further support to the notion that the number of functional olfactory receptor genes or the relative or absolute size of the olfactory bulbs are poor predictors of a species’ olfactory sensitivity. Analysis of odor structure–activity relationships showed that in both mice and human subjects the type of alkyl rest attached to a thietane and the type of oxygen moiety attached to a thiol significantly affected olfactory sensitivity. PMID:24278296

Troxerutin attenuates diet-induced oxidative stress, impairment of mitochondrial biogenesis and respiratory chain complexes in mice heart.

PubMed

Rajagopalan, Geetha; Chandrasekaran, Sathiya Priya; Carani Venkatraman, Anuradha

2017-01-01

Mitochondrial abnormality is thought to play a key role in cardiac disease originating from the metabolic syndrome (MS). We evaluated the effect of troxerutin (TX), a semi-synthetic derivative of the natural bioflavanoid rutin, on the respiratory chain complex activity, oxidative stress, mitochondrial biogenesis and dynamics in heart of high fat, high fructose diet (HFFD) -induced mouse model of MS. Adult male Mus musculus mice of body weight 25-30 g were fed either control diet or HFFD for 60 days. Mice from each dietary regimen were divided into two groups on the 16th day and were treated or untreated with TX (150 mg/kg body weight [bw], per oral) for the next 45 days. At the end of experimental period, respiratory chain complex activity, uncoupling proteins (UCP)-2 and -3, mtDNA content, mitochondrial biogenesis and dynamics, oxidative stress markers and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation were analyzed. Reduced mtDNA abundance with alterations in the expression of genes related to mitochondrial biogenesis and fission and fusion processes were observed in HFFD-fed mice. Disorganized and smaller mitochondria, reduction in complexes I, III and IV activities (by about 55%) and protein levels of UCP-2 (52%) and UCP-3 (46%) were noted in these mice. TX administration suppressed oxidative stress, improved the oxidative capacity and biogenesis and restored fission/fusion imbalance in the cardiac mitochondria of HFFD-fed mice. TX protects the myocardium by modulating the putative molecules of mitochondrial biogenesis and dynamics and by its anti-oxidant function in a mouse model of MS. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

A quantitative study of the second meiotic metaphase in male mice (Mus musculus).

PubMed

Beatty, R A; Lim, M C; Coulter, V J

1975-01-01

Over 11,000 second meiotic metaphase spreads stained for the pericentromeric region have been studied quantitatively in male mice of 14 strains. The sex-chromosome constitution of a cell could be judged objectively if X and Y chromosomes and ploidy were all scored. A bias arose if only Y chromosomes and ploidy were scored but could be corrected statistically. There was no sign of other forms of bias. The original contiguity of X and Y second metaphases in vivo was very occasionally evident in the preparations. Most of the subhaploid aneuploid counts were assumed to be artifactual. The incidence of truly aneuploid second metaphases in 13 strains was estimated as 0.38+/-0.12%. The estimated average rate per chromosome was 0.019+/-0.006%, with a comparable order of magnitude for the sex chromosomes alone. Simultaneous aneuploidy of two or more chromosomes of the haploid set was estimated to be very rare. Of the spreads from 13 strains, 9.6% were polyploid (2N, 3N, 4N) and showed most of the possible combinations of sex chromosomes. Nearly all the polyploid spreads were considered to arise by artifactual cell fusion at the time of second metaphase during the preparative technique, especially of the X and Y daughter-cell products of the first meiotic division. Other modes of origin (true polyploidy, accidental superposition of cells during preparation) were unlikely. The data could be accommodated by a statistical model with only four parameters. It allowed for artifactual fusion mainly between daughter cells but also between non-daughter cells, bias in one scoring method, and bias in the numbers of cells with given ploidy successfully mounted. Current techniques of chromosome preparation were thought to be wholly unsuitable for the recognition of true polyploidy. The artifactual origin of polyploid spreads was borne out by an absence of polyploid spermatozoa in 14 strains. There appeared to be a virtually constant transmission rate of paternal X and Y chromosomes from

Oxytocin in the Treatment of Dystocia in Mice

PubMed Central

Narver, Heather L

2012-01-01

Physicians and veterinarians often prescribe oxytocin to treat dystocia. However, oxytocin administration to pregnant women or animals is not without risk. In the venue of laboratory animal medicine, the use of oxytocin may present confounding variables to research. Although oxytocin has been studied extensively, many of its physiologic effects and interactions with other hormones remain unclear. Investigator concerns about adverse and confounding effects of oxytocin in their research mice prompted the current review of oxytocin and its use to treat murine dystocia. Well-controlled studies of oxytocin in dystocic mice have not been conducted. However, in humans and other animals, inconsistent and adverse effects are well-documented. Limited knowledge of the complex physiologic and molecular mechanisms of action of oxytocin and scant support for the efficacy of oxytocin in dystocic mice fail to meet the standards of evidence-based veterinary medical practice. The administration of oxytocin is contraindicated in many cases of dystocia in research mice, and its use in dystocic mice may be unfounded. A brief review of oxytocin and the physiologic mechanisms of parturition are provided to support this conclusion. Alternative treatments for murine dystocia are discussed, and a holistic approach is advocated to better serve animal welfare and to safeguard the integrity of valuable research. Laboratory animal veterinarians overseeing the development of guidelines or standard operating procedures for technician or investigator treatment of dystocic mice should understand the effects of oxytocin administration in light of relevant research. PMID:22330862

Interspecific hybrids and chimeras in mice.

PubMed

Rossant, J; Croy, B A; Clark, D A; Chapman, V M

1983-11-01

Interspecific hybrids and chimeras in mammals provide unique tools for investigating problems in genetics and embryology, because of the degree of disparity between the two component genotypes. We have attempted to produce hybrids and chimeras between Mus musculus, the laboratory mouse, and Mus caroli, a wild species of mouse from Southeast Asia. M. musculus and M. caroli do not normally interbreed, although sterile hybrids can be produced at a low rate by artificial insemination. Extrinsic problems of genotypic incompatibility between the fetus and the maternal environment seem to be involved in poor hybrid survival, since M. caroli blastocysts also die when transferred to the M. musculus uterus. Death is associated with the generation of maternal T-cells which are cytotoxic to M. caroli target cells in vitro. It is not yet clear whether this immune response is the primary cause of death or is secondary to breakdown of some other components of the fetal-maternal interaction. It is clear, however, that it is the trophoblast layer that mediates survival or death of the foreign embryonic cells in the M. musculus juterus, since M. caroli inner cell mass cells can survive to term after injection into M. musculus blastocysts: Viable interspecific chimeras result. Even more convincing evidence is provided by the production of viable M. caroli offspring by trophoblast vesicle reconstitution using trophoblast of M. musculus genotype and inner-cell mass of M. caroli type. Studies of properties of isolated trophoblast tissues have indicated that M. caroli trophoblast may differ from M. musculus in both its antigenic and immunosuppressive properties. Elucidation of trophoblast-uterine interactions in these various interspecific pregnancies is being aided by the development of an in situ marker system, which can distinguish cells of the two species in sectioned material by in situ hybridization with a M. musculus satellite DNA probe. This same marker is also proving a very

A potentized homeopathic drug, Arsenicum Album 200, can ameliorate genotoxicity induced by repeated injections of arsenic trioxide in mice.

PubMed

Banerjee, P; Biswas, S J; Belon, P; Khuda-Bukhsh, A R

2007-09-01

Groundwater arsenic contamination has become a menacing global problem. No drug is available until now to combat chronic arsenic poisoning. To examine if a potentized homeopathic remedy, Arsenicum Album-200, can effectively combat chronic arsenic toxicity induced by repeated injections of Arsenic trioxide in mice, the following experimental design was adopted. Mice (Mus musculus) were injected subcutaneously with 0.016% arsenic trioxide at the rate of 1 ml/100 g body weight, at an interval of 7 days until they were killed at day 30, 60, 90 or 120 and were divided into three groups: (i) one receiving a daily dose of Arsenicum Album-200 through oral administration, (ii) one receiving the same dose of diluted succussed alcohol (Alcohol-200) and (iii) another receiving neither drug, nor succussed alcohol. The remedy or the placebo, as the case may be, was fed from the next day onwards after injection until the day before the next injection, and the cycle was repeated until the mice were killed. Two other control groups were also maintained: one receiving only normal diet, and the other receiving normal diet and succussed alcohol. Several toxicity assays, such as cytogenetical (chromosome aberrations, micronuclei, mitotic index, sperm head anomaly) and biochemical (acid and alkaline phosphatases, lipid peroxidation), were periodically made. Compared with controls, the drug fed mice showed reduced toxicity at statistically significant levels in respect of all the parameters studied, thereby indicating protective potentials of the homeopathic drug against chronic arsenic poisoning.

INFRARED SPECTROSCOPY OF SYMBIOTIC STARS. XI. ORBITS FOR SOUTHERN S-TYPE SYSTEMS: HEN 3-461, SY MUS, HEN 3-828, AND AR PAV

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fekel, Francis C.; Hinkle, Kenneth H.; Joyce, Richard R.

Employing new infrared radial velocities, we have computed spectroscopic orbits of the cool giants in four southern S-type symbiotic systems. The orbits for two of the systems, Hen 3-461 and Hen 3-828, have been determined for the first time, while orbits of the other two, SY Mus and AR Pav, have previously been determined. For the latter two systems, we compare our results with those in the literature. The low mass of the secondary of SY Mus suggests that it has gone through a common envelope phase. Hen 3-461 has an orbital period of 2271 days, one of the longest currently known for S-type symbiotic systems.more » That period is very different from the orbital period proposed previously from its photometric variations. The other three binaries have periods between 600 and 700 day, values that are typical for S-type symbiotic orbits. Basic properties of the M giant components and the distance to each system are determined.« less

Health surveillance of specific pathogen-free and conventionally-housed mice and rats in Korea.

PubMed

Seok, Seunghyeok; Park, Jonghwan; Cho, Suna; Baek, Minwon; Lee, Huiyoung; Kim, Dongjae; Yang, Kihwa; Jang, Dongdeuk; Han, Beomseok; Nam, Kitaek; Park, Jaehak

2005-01-01

The present study contains information about proper microbiological monitoring of laboratory animals' health and the standardization of microbiological monitoring methods in Korea. Microbiological quality control for laboratory animals, composed of biosecurity and health surveillance, is essential to guard against research complications and public health dangers that have been associated with adventitious infections. In this study, one hundred and twenty-two mice and ninety rats from laboratory animal breeding companies and one animal facility of the national universities in Korea were monitored in 2000-2003. Histopathologically, thickening of the alveolar walls and lymphocytic infiltration around the bronchioles were observed in mice and rats from microbiologically contaminated facilities. Cryptosporidial oocysts were observed in the gastric pits of only conventionally-housed mice and rats. Helicobacter spp. infection was also detected in 1 of 24 feces DNA samples in mice and 9 of 40 feces DNA samples in rats by PCR in 2003, but they were not Helicobacter hepaticus. This paper describes bacteriological, parasitological, and virological examinations of the animals.

Chronic Co-species Housing Mice and Rats Increased the Competitiveness of Male Mice.

PubMed

Liu, Ying-Juan; Li, Lai-Fu; Zhang, Yao-Hua; Guo, Hui-Fen; Xia, Min; Zhang, Meng-Wei; Jing, Xiao-Yuan; Zhang, Jing-Hua; Zhang, Jian-Xu

2017-03-01

Rats are predators of mice in nature. Nevertheless, it is a common practice to house mice and rats in a same room in some laboratories. In this study, we investigated the behavioral and physiological responsively of mice in long-term co-species housing conditions. Twenty-four male mice were randomly assigned to their original raising room (control) or a rat room (co-species-housed) for more than 6 weeks. In the open-field and light-dark box tests, the behaviors of the co-species-housed mice and controls were not different. In a 2-choice test of paired urine odors [rabbit urine (as a novel odor) vs. rat urine, cat urine (as a natural predator-scent) vs. rabbit urine, and cat urine vs. rat urine], the co-species-housed mice were more ready to investigate the rat urine odor compared with the controls and may have adapted to it. In an encounter test, the rat-room-exposed mice exhibited increased aggression levels, and their urines were more attractive to females. Correspondingly, the levels of major urinary proteins were increased in the co-species-housed mouse urine, along with some volatile pheromones. The serum testosterone levels were also enhanced in the co-species-housed mice, whereas the corticosterone levels were not different. The norepinephrine, dopamine, and 5-HT levels in the right hippocampus and striatum were not different between the 2. Our findings indicate that chronic co-species housing results in adaptation in male mice; furthermore, it appears that long-term rat-odor stimuli enhance the competitiveness of mice, which suggests that appropriate predator-odor stimuli may be important to the fitness of prey animals. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Compared to Sucrose, Previous Consumption of Fructose and Glucose Monosaccharides Reduces Survival and Fitness of Female Mice123

PubMed Central

Ruff, James S; Hugentobler, Sara A; Suchy, Amanda K; Sosa, Mirtha M; Tanner, Ruth E; Hite, Megumi E; Morrison, Linda C; Gieng, Sin H; Shigenaga, Mark K; Potts, Wayne K

2015-01-01

Background: Intake of added sugar has been shown to correlate with many human metabolic diseases, and rodent models have characterized numerous aspects of the resulting disease phenotypes. However, there is a controversy about whether differential health effects occur because of the consumption of either of the two common types of added sugar—high-fructose corn syrup (fructose and glucose monosaccharides; F/G) or table sugar (sucrose, a fructose and glucose disaccharide). Objectives: We tested the equivalence of sucrose- vs. F/G-containing diets on mouse (Mus musculus) longevity, reproductive success, and social dominance. Methods: We fed wild-derived mice, outbred mice descended from wild-caught ancestors, a diet in which 25% of the calories came from either an equal ratio of F/G or an isocaloric amount of sucrose (both diets had 63% of total calories as carbohydrates). Exposure lasted 40 wk, starting at weaning (21 d of age), and then mice (104 females and 56 males) were released into organismal performances assays—seminatural enclosures where mice competed for territories, resources, and mates for 32 wk. Within enclosures all mice consumed the F/G diet. Results: Females initially fed the F/G diet experienced a mortality rate 1.9 times the rate (P = 0.012) and produced 26.4% fewer offspring than females initially fed sucrose (P = 0.001). This reproductive deficiency was present before mortality differences, suggesting the F/G diet was causing physiologic performance deficits prior to mortality. No differential patterns in survival, reproduction, or social dominance were observed in males, indicating a sex-specific outcome of exposure. Conclusion: This study provides experimental evidence that the consumption of human-relevant levels of F/G is more deleterious than an isocaloric amount of sucrose for key organism-level health measures in female mice. PMID:25733457

Analysis of Copy Number Variation in the Abp Gene Regions of Two House Mouse Subspecies Suggests Divergence during the Gene Family Expansions

PubMed Central

Pezer, Željka; Chung, Amanda G.; Karn, Robert C.

2017-01-01

Abstract The Androgen-binding protein (Abp) gene region of the mouse genome contains 64 genes, some encoding pheromones that influence assortative mating between mice from different subspecies. Using CNVnator and quantitative PCR, we explored copy number variation in this gene family in natural populations of Mus musculus domesticus (Mmd) and Mus musculus musculus (Mmm), two subspecies of house mice that form a narrow hybrid zone in Central Europe. We found that copy number variation in the center of the Abp gene region is very common in wild Mmd, primarily representing the presence/absence of the final duplications described for the mouse genome. Clustering of Mmd individuals based on this variation did not reflect their geographical origin, suggesting no population divergence in the Abp gene cluster. However, copy number variation patterns differ substantially between Mmd and other mouse taxa. Large blocks of Abp genes are absent in Mmm, Mus musculus castaneus and an outgroup, Mus spretus, although with differences in variation and breakpoint locations. Our analysis calls into question the reliance on a reference genome for interpreting the detailed organization of genes in taxa more distant from the Mmd reference genome. The polymorphic nature of the gene family expansion in all four taxa suggests that the number of Abp genes, especially in the central gene region, is not critical to the survival and reproduction of the mouse. However, Abp haplotypes of variable length may serve as a source of raw genetic material for new signals influencing reproductive communication and thus speciation of mice. PMID:28575204

The effect of pomelo citrus (Citrus maxima var. Nambangan), vitamin C and lycopene towards the number reduction of mice (Mus musculus) apoptotic hepatocyte caused of ochratoxin A

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Badriyah, Hastuti, Utami Sri

2017-06-01

Foods can contaminated by some mycotoxin produced by molds. Ochratoxin A is a sort of mycotoxin that cause structural damage on hepatocytes. Pomelo citrus (Citrus maxima var. Nambangan) contain vitamin C and lycopene that have antioxidant character. This research is done to: 1)examine the effect of pomelo citrus juice, vitamin C, and lycopene treatment towards the number reduction of mice apoptotic hepatocytes caused by ochratoxin A exposure, 2)examine the effect of vitamin C mixed with lycopene treatment towards the number reduction of mice apoptotic hepatocytes caused by ochratoxin A exposure. The experimental group used male mice strain BALB-C in the age of three month and bodyweight 20-30 grams devided in 4 experiment group and control group. The experiment group I were administered pomelo citrus juice 0,5 ml/30 grams BW/day orally during 2 weeks and then administered with ochratoxin in the dose of 1 mg/kg BW during 1 week. The experiment group II were administered with vitamin C in the dose of 5,85 µg/30g BW with the same methods. The experiment group III were administered with lycopene in the dose of 0,1025 µg/30 g BW with the same methods. The experiment group IV were administered with vitamin C mixed with lycopene with the same methods. The control group were administered with ochratoxin A in the dose of 1 mg/kg BW per oral during 1 week. The apoptotic hepatocyte number were count by microscopic observation of hepatocyte slides from experiment group as well as control group with cytochemical staining. The research result shows that: 1) the pomelo citrus juice, vitamin C as well as lycopene administration could reduce the mice apoptotic hepatocyte number caused by ochratoxin A exposure, compared with the mice apoptotic hepatocyte number caused by ochratoxin A exposure only; 2) the vitamin C mixed with lycopene could reduce the mice apoptotic hepatocyte number caused by ochratoxin A exposure compared with the mice apoptotic hepatocyte number caused by

Novel Arenavirus Sequences in Hylomyscus sp. and Mus (Nannomys) setulosus from Côte d'Ivoire: Implications for Evolution of Arenaviruses in Africa

PubMed Central

Kouassi, Stéphane K.; Fichet-Calvet, Elisabeth; Becker-Ziaja, Beate; Rieger, Toni; Ölschläger, Stephan; Dosso, Hernri; Denys, Christiane; ter Meulen, Jan; Akoua-Koffi, Chantal; Günther, Stephan

2011-01-01

This study aimed to identify new arenaviruses and gather insights in the evolution of arenaviruses in Africa. During 2003 through 2005, 1,228 small mammals representing 14 different genera were trapped in 9 villages in south, east, and middle west of Côte d'Ivoire. Specimens were screened by pan-Old World arenavirus RT-PCRs targeting S and L RNA segments as well as immunofluorescence assay. Sequences of two novel tentative species of the family Arenaviridae, Menekre and Gbagroube virus, were detected in Hylomyscus sp. and Mus (Nannomys) setulosus, respectively. Arenavirus infection of Mus (Nannomys) setulosus was also demonstrated by serological testing. Lassa virus was not found, although 60% of the captured animals were Mastomys natalensis. Complete S RNA and partial L RNA sequences of the novel viruses were recovered from the rodent specimens and subjected to phylogenetic analysis. Gbagroube virus is a closely related sister taxon of Lassa virus, while Menekre virus clusters with the Ippy/Mobala/Mopeia virus complex. Reconstruction of possible virus–host co-phylogeny scenarios suggests that, within the African continent, signatures of co-evolution might have been obliterated by multiple host-switching events. PMID:21695269

New polymorphic markers in the vicinity of the pearl locus on mouse chromosome 13.

PubMed

Xu, H P; Yanak, B L; Wigler, M H; Gorin, M B

1996-01-01

We have used a Mus domesticus/-Mus spretus congenic animal that was selected for retention of Mus spretus DNA around the pearl locus to create a highly polymorphic region suitable for screening new markers. Representation difference analysis (RDA) was performed with either DNA from the congenic animal or C57BL/6J as the driver for subtraction. Four clones were identified, characterized, and converted to PCR-based polymorphic markers. Three of the four markers equally subdivide a 10-cM interval containing the pearl locus, with the fourth located centromeric to it. These markers have been placed on the mouse genetic map by use of an interspecific backcross panel between Mus domesticus (C57BL/6J) and Mus spretus generated by The Jackson Laboratory.

Tristania Sumatrana Effect On Female Mus Musculus Fertility

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Syamsurizal, S.

2018-04-01

The use of traditional medicinal plants are generally based on empirical experience, therefore it is necessary scientific approach in order to bring traditional medicine into medical practice and the formal health services. Tristania sumatrana Miq. is one of the traditional medicinal plants are often used as a contraceptive for women in West Sumatra Tristania sumatrana Miq. extract can prolong the estrous cycle in mice to eleven days. This study aimed to influence Tristania sumatrana Miq. extract treatment on fertility of female mice. Experiments conducted a randomized block design 5x2. Five dose groups: control with no treatment, placebo, treatment with doses of 600, 900 and 1200 mg/kgbw and the old two treatment groups: 10 and 20 days. Fertility parameters studied were ovarian weight follicle Graaf number, the corpus luteum and fetal life. The research proves of Tristania sumatrana Miq. extract treatment causes a decrease very significantly the ovarian weight (treatment of 900 mg/kgbw for 10 days), follicles Graaf number (900 mg/kgbw for 20 days), the corpus luteum (600 mg/kgbw for 10 days) and live fetuses (900 mg/kgbw for 10 days). Tristania sumatrana Miq. extract treatment can lead to decreased fertility of female mice.

The Pace of Hybrid Incompatibility Evolution in House Mice.

PubMed

Wang, Richard J; White, Michael A; Payseur, Bret A

2015-09-01

Hybrids between species are often sterile or inviable. This form of reproductive isolation is thought to evolve via the accumulation of mutations that interact to reduce fitness when combined in hybrids. Mathematical formulations of this "Dobzhansky-Muller model" predict an accelerating buildup of hybrid incompatibilities with divergence time (the "snowball effect"). Although the Dobzhansky-Muller model is widely accepted, the snowball effect has only been tested in two species groups. We evaluated evidence for the snowball effect in the evolution of hybrid male sterility among subspecies of house mice, a recently diverged group that shows partial reproductive isolation. We compared the history of subspecies divergence with patterns of quantitative trait loci (QTL) detected in F2 intercrosses between two pairs of subspecies (Mus musculus domesticus with M. m. musculus and M. m. domesticus with M. m. castaneus). We used a recently developed phylogenetic comparative method to statistically measure the fit of these data to the snowball prediction. To apply this method, QTL were partitioned as either shared or unshared in the two crosses. A heuristic partitioning based on the overlap of QTL confidence intervals produced unambiguous support for the snowball effect. An alternative approach combining data among crosses favored the snowball effect for the autosomes, but a linear accumulation of incompatibilities for the X chromosome. Reasoning that the X chromosome analyses are complicated by low mapping resolution, we conclude that hybrid male sterility loci have snowballed in house mice. Our study illustrates the power of comparative genetic mapping for understanding mechanisms of speciation. Copyright © 2015 by the Genetics Society of America.

The Pace of Hybrid Incompatibility Evolution in House Mice

PubMed Central

Wang, Richard J.; White, Michael A.; Payseur, Bret A.

2015-01-01

Hybrids between species are often sterile or inviable. This form of reproductive isolation is thought to evolve via the accumulation of mutations that interact to reduce fitness when combined in hybrids. Mathematical formulations of this “Dobzhansky–Muller model” predict an accelerating buildup of hybrid incompatibilities with divergence time (the “snowball effect”). Although the Dobzhansky–Muller model is widely accepted, the snowball effect has only been tested in two species groups. We evaluated evidence for the snowball effect in the evolution of hybrid male sterility among subspecies of house mice, a recently diverged group that shows partial reproductive isolation. We compared the history of subspecies divergence with patterns of quantitative trait loci (QTL) detected in F2 intercrosses between two pairs of subspecies (Mus musculus domesticus with M. m. musculus and M. m. domesticus with M. m. castaneus). We used a recently developed phylogenetic comparative method to statistically measure the fit of these data to the snowball prediction. To apply this method, QTL were partitioned as either shared or unshared in the two crosses. A heuristic partitioning based on the overlap of QTL confidence intervals produced unambiguous support for the snowball effect. An alternative approach combining data among crosses favored the snowball effect for the autosomes, but a linear accumulation of incompatibilities for the X chromosome. Reasoning that the X chromosome analyses are complicated by low mapping resolution, we conclude that hybrid male sterility loci have snowballed in house mice. Our study illustrates the power of comparative genetic mapping for understanding mechanisms of speciation. PMID:26199234

Multimethod Approach to the Early Postnatal Growth of the Mandible in Mice from a Zone of Robertsonian Polymorphism.

PubMed

Martínez-Vargas, Jessica; Muñoz-Muñoz, Francesc; López-Fuster, María José; Cubo, Jorge; Ventura, Jacint

2018-04-18

The western European house mouse (Mus musculus domesticus) shows high karyotypic diversity owing to Robertsonian translocations. Morphometric studies conducted with adult mice suggest that karyotype evolution due to these chromosomal reorganizations entails variation in the form and the patterns of morphological covariation of the mandible. However, information is much scarcer regarding the effect of these rearrangements on the growth pattern of the mouse mandible over early postnatal ontogeny. Here we compare mandible growth from the second to the eighth week of postnatal life between two ontogenetic series of mice from wild populations, with the standard karyotype and with Robertsonian translocations respectively, reared under the same conditions. A multi-method approach is used, including bone histology analyses of mandible surfaces and cross-sections, as well as geometric morphometric analyses of mandible form. The mandibles of both standard and Robertsonian mice display growth acceleration around weaning, anteroposterior direction of bone maturation, a predominance of bone deposition fields over ontogeny, and relatively greater expansion of the posterior mandible region correlated with the ontogenetic increase in mandible size. Nevertheless, differences exist between the two mouse groups regarding the timing of histological maturation of the mandible, the localization of certain bone remodeling fields, the temporospatial patterns of morphological variation, and the organization into two main modules. The dissimilarities in the process of mandible growth between the two groups of mice become more evident around sexual maturity, and could arise from alterations that Robertsonian translocations may exert on genes involved in the bone remodeling mechanism. Anat Rec, 2018. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

[First evidence of lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (Arenavirus) infection in Mus musculus rodents captured in the urban area of the municipality of Sincelejo, Sucre, Colombia].

PubMed

Castellar, Anais; Guevara, Marco; Rodas, Juan D; Londoño, Andrés F; Arroyave, Esteban; Díaz, Francisco J; Levis, Silvana; Blanco, Pedro J

2017-04-01

The lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus is an Old World arenavirus that infects Mus musculus, and can cause congenital hydrocephalus, chorioretinitis and multisystemic failure in transplant human recipients. Although the disease has not been clinically diagnosed in Colombia yet, there have been reports of infection with the Pichindé virus in rodents from Cauca and Valle del Cauca departments, and with the Guanarito virus in rodents from Córdoba department. To identify the lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus from Mus musculus captured in the municipality of Sincelejo. We evaluated 80 samples of plasma by ELISA using antigen from lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus. Additionally, a nested RT-PCR was performed to seropositive and seronegative samples for the S-segment. We found a 10% seroprevalence (8/80) and the viral genome was detected in 16 brain samples; the alignment (BLAST) and the phylogenetic analysis (MrBayes, version 3.2.2) confirmed the presence of the lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus. The results indicated that human infection with the lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus in humans could occur in the urban area of Sincelejo, although no cases have been reported so far.

Haldane's rule and heterogametic female and male sterility in the mouse.

PubMed

Biddle, F G; Eales, B A; Dean, W L

1994-04-01

Failed genetic experiments or experiments designed for other purposes sometimes reveal novel genetic information. The interspecific cross between laboratory strain mice of the Mus musculus musculus/domesticus complex and the separate species M. spretus is known to produce fertile F1 females and sterile F1 males. Infertility of the interspecific F1 XY male is said to be an example of what has become known as Haldane's rule: "When in the F1 offspring of two different animal races one sex is absent, rare, or sterile, that sex is the heterozygous [heterogametic] sex." We attempted to use fertile single-X (or XO) female laboratory mice of the M. m. musculus/domesticus complex mated to M. spretus males to construct females with specific X chromosomes to study segregation distortion of X chromosome marker genes that we reported previously in crosses with the two species. We assumed that the interspecific F1 XO female would be fertile like the interspecific F1 XX female but, instead, we found that it is infertile. Haldane's rule is not specific to sex, but demonstration of this has required study of separate species pairs with heterogametic males or with heterogametic females. The fertile XO laboratory mouse is female, but it is also heterogametic, producing both X and nullo-X eggs. Infertility of both the interspecific and heterogametic F1 XO female and F1 XY male in the same cross between laboratory mice and M. spretus suggests that heterogamety is at the cause of the infertility.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Modificatory effect of vitamin C and vitamin B-complex on meiotic inhibition induced by organophosphorus pesticide in mice Mus musculus.

PubMed

Hoda, Q; Azfer, M A; Sinha, S P

1993-01-01

Administration of organophosphorous pesticide Malathion and Rogor (both @ 0.2 micrograms/kg body wt/day) upto ten days was found to decrease the division rate in the primary spermatocytes of mice. The concurrent administration of vitamin B-complex (0.3 ml of 1% polybion) or ascorbic acid (0.25 ml of 1% Redoxon) with the pesticide could nullify the meiotic inhibition caused by the pesticides. The vitamins were not found to produce any significant effect on the division rate. Possible mechanism(s) behind this vitamin mediated nullification of meiotic inhibition are discussed.

Effects of Topical Anesthetics on Behavior, Plasma Corticosterone, and Blood Glucose Levels after Tail Biopsy of C57BL/6NHSD Mice (Mus musculus).

PubMed

Dudley, Emily S; Johnson, Robert A; French, DeAnne C; Boivin, Gregory P

2016-01-01

Tail biopsy is a common procedure that is performed to obtain genetic material for determining genotype of transgenic mice. The use of anesthetics or analgesics is recommended, although identifying safe and effective drugs for this purpose has been challenging. We evaluated the effects of topical 2.5% lidocaine-2.5% prilocaine cream applied to the distal tail tip at 5 or 60 min before biopsy, immersion of the tail tip for 10 seconds in ice-cold 70% ethanol just prior to biopsy, and immersion of the tail tip in 0.5% bupivacaine for 30 s after biopsy. Mice were 7, 11, or 15 d old at the time of tail biopsy. Acute behavioral responses, plasma corticosterone, and blood glucose were measured after biopsy, and body weight and performance in elevated plus maze and open-field tests after weaning. Ice-cold ethanol prior to biopsy prevented acute behavioral responses to biopsy, and both ice-cold ethanol and bupivacaine prevented elevations in corticosterone and blood glucose after biopsy. Tail biopsy with or without anesthesia did not affect body weight or performance on elevated plus maze or open-field tests. We recommend the use of ice-cold ethanol for topical anesthesia prior to tail biopsy in mice 7 to 15 d old.

Effects of Topical Anesthetics on Behavior, Plasma Corticosterone, and Blood Glucose Levels after Tail Biopsy of C57BL/6NHSD Mice (Mus musculus)

PubMed Central

Dudley, Emily S; Johnson, Robert A; French, DeAnne C; Boivin, Gregory P

2016-01-01

Tail biopsy is a common procedure that is performed to obtain genetic material for determining genotype of transgenic mice. The use of anesthetics or analgesics is recommended, although identifying safe and effective drugs for this purpose has been challenging. We evaluated the effects of topical 2.5% lidocaine–2.5% prilocaine cream applied to the distal tail tip at 5 or 60 min before biopsy, immersion of the tail tip for 10 seconds in ice-cold 70% ethanol just prior to biopsy, and immersion of the tail tip in 0.5% bupivacaine for 30 s after biopsy. Mice were 7, 11, or 15 d old at the time of tail biopsy. Acute behavioral responses, plasma corticosterone, and blood glucose were measured after biopsy, and body weight and performance in elevated plus maze and open-field tests after weaning. Ice-cold ethanol prior to biopsy prevented acute behavioral responses to biopsy, and both ice-cold ethanol and bupivacaine prevented elevations in corticosterone and blood glucose after biopsy. Tail biopsy with or without anesthesia did not affect body weight or performance on elevated plus maze or open-field tests. We recommend the use of ice-cold ethanol for topical anesthesia prior to tail biopsy in mice 7 to 15 d old. PMID:27423152

Pion contamination in the MICE muon beam

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adams, D.; Alekou, A.; Apollonio, M.; Asfandiyarov, R.; Barber, G.; Barclay, P.; de Bari, A.; Bayes, R.; Bayliss, V.; Bertoni, R.; Blackmore, V. J.; Blondel, A.; Blot, S.; Bogomilov, M.; Bonesini, M.; Booth, C. N.; Bowring, D.; Boyd, S.; Brashaw, T. W.; Bravar, U.; Bross, A. D.; Capponi, M.; Carlisle, T.; Cecchet, G.; Charnley, C.; Chignoli, F.; Cline, D.; Cobb, J. H.; Colling, G.; Collomb, N.; Coney, L.; Cooke, P.; Courthold, M.; Cremaldi, L. M.; DeMello, A.; Dick, A.; Dobbs, A.; Dornan, P.; Drews, M.; Drielsma, F.; Filthaut, F.; Fitzpatrick, T.; Franchini, P.; Francis, V.; Fry, L.; Gallagher, A.; Gamet, R.; Gardener, R.; Gourlay, S.; Grant, A.; Greis, J. R.; Griffiths, S.; Hanlet, P.; Hansen, O. M.; Hanson, G. G.; Hart, T. L.; Hartnett, T.; Hayler, T.; Heidt, C.; Hills, M.; Hodgson, P.; Hunt, C.; Iaciofano, A.; Ishimoto, S.; Kafka, G.; Kaplan, D. M.; Karadzhov, Y.; Kim, Y. K.; Kuno, Y.; Kyberd, P.; Lagrange, J.-B.; Langlands, J.; Lau, W.; Leonova, M.; Li, D.; Lintern, A.; Littlefield, M.; Long, K.; Luo, T.; Macwaters, C.; Martlew, B.; Martyniak, J.; Mazza, R.; Middleton, S.; Moretti, A.; Moss, A.; Muir, A.; Mullacrane, I.; Nebrensky, J. J.; Neuffer, D.; Nichols, A.; Nicholson, R.; Nugent, J. C.; Oates, A.; Onel, Y.; Orestano, D.; Overton, E.; Owens, P.; Palladino, V.; Pasternak, J.; Pastore, F.; Pidcott, C.; Popovic, M.; Preece, R.; Prestemon, S.; Rajaram, D.; Ramberger, S.; Rayner, M. A.; Ricciardi, S.; Roberts, T. J.; Robinson, M.; Rogers, C.; Ronald, K.; Rubinov, P.; Rucinski, P.; Sakamato, H.; Sanders, D. A.; Santos, E.; Savidge, T.; Smith, P. J.; Snopok, P.; Soler, F. J. P.; Speirs, D.; Stanley, T.; Stokes, G.; Summers, D. J.; Tarrant, J.; Taylor, I.; Tortora, L.; Torun, Y.; Tsenov, R.; Tunnell, C. D.; Uchida, M. A.; Vankova-Kirilova, G.; Virostek, S.; Vretenar, M.; Warburton, P.; Watson, S.; White, C.; Whyte, C. G.; Wilson, A.; Winter, M.; Yang, X.; Young, A.; Zisman, M.

2016-03-01

The international Muon Ionization Cooling Experiment (MICE) will perform a systematic investigation of ionization cooling with muon beams of momentum between 140 and 240 MeV/c at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory ISIS facility. The measurement of ionization cooling in MICE relies on the selection of a pure sample of muons that traverse the experiment. To make this selection, the MICE Muon Beam is designed to deliver a beam of muons with less than ~1% contamination. To make the final muon selection, MICE employs a particle-identification (PID) system upstream and downstream of the cooling cell. The PID system includes time-of-flight hodoscopes, threshold-Cherenkov counters and calorimetry. The upper limit for the pion contamination measured in this paper is fπ < 1.4% at 90% C.L., including systematic uncertainties. Therefore, the MICE Muon Beam is able to meet the stringent pion-contamination requirements of the study of ionization cooling.

Pion contamination in the MICE muon beam

DOE PAGES

Adams, D.; Alekou, A.; Apollonio, M.; ...

2016-03-01

Here, the international Muon Ionization Cooling Experiment (MICE) will perform a systematic investigation of ionization cooling with muon beams of momentum between 140 and 240\\,MeV/c at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory ISIS facility. The measurement of ionization cooling in MICE relies on the selection of a pure sample of muons that traverse the experiment. To make this selection, the MICE Muon Beam is designed to deliver a beam of muons with less thanmore » $$\\sim$$1% contamination. To make the final muon selection, MICE employs a particle-identification (PID) system upstream and downstream of the cooling cell. The PID system includes time-of-flight hodoscopes, threshold-Cherenkov counters and calorimetry. The upper limit for the pion contamination measured in this paper is $$f_\\pi < 1.4\\%$$ at 90% C.L., including systematic uncertainties. Therefore, the MICE Muon Beam is able to meet the stringent pion-contamination requirements of the study of ionization cooling.« less

Induction of Colon Cancer in Mice with 1,2-Dimethylhydrazine.

PubMed

Gurley, Kay E; Moser, Russell D; Kemp, Christopher J

2015-09-01

In this protocol, colon cancer is induced in mice through a series of injections with 1,2-dimethylhydrazine. Mice will develop primarily colon tumors starting at about 3 mo after the first injection. Tumors in the lung, uterus, and small intestine may also be seen, as well as lymphomas. © 2015 Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press.

Automated gait analysis in the open-field test for laboratory mice.

PubMed

Leroy, Toon; Silva, Mitchell; D'Hooge, Rudi; Aerts, Jean-Marie; Berckmans, Daniel

2009-02-01

In this article, an automated and accurate mouse observation method, based on a conventional test for motor function evaluation, is outlined. The proposed measurement technique was integrated in a regular open-field test, where the trajectory and locomotion of a free-moving mouse were measured simultaneously. The system setup consisted of a transparent cage and a camera placed below it with its lens pointing upward, allowing for images to be captured from underneath the cage while the mouse was walking on the transparent cage floor. Thus, additional information was obtained about the position of the limbs of the mice for gait reconstruction. In a first step, the camera was calibrated as soon as it was fixed in place. A linear calibration factor, relating distances in image coordinates to real-world dimensions, was determined. In a second step, the mouse was located and its body contour segmented from the image by subtracting a previously taken "background" image of the empty cage from the camera image. In a third step, the movement of the mouse was analyzed and its speed estimated from its location in the past few images. If the speed was above a 1-sec threshold, the mouse was recognized to be running, and the image was further processed for footprint recognition. In a fourth step, color filtering was applied within the recovered mouse region to measure the position of the mouse's paws, which were visible in the image as small pink spots. Paws that were detected at the same location in a number of subsequent images were kept as footprints-that is, paws in contact with the cage floor. The footprints were classified by their position relative to the mouse's outline as corresponding to the front left or right paw or the hind left or right paw. Finally, eight parameters were calculated from the footprint pattern to describe the locomotion of the mouse: right/left overlap, front/hind base, right/left front limb stride, and right/left hind limb stride. As an application

University of California San Francisco (UCSF-2): Gene Expression Profiling of Normal Mouse Skin, Hras WT and Hras -/- | Office of Cancer Genomics

Cancer.gov

University of California San Francisco (UCSF-2): Gene Expression Profiling of Normal Mouse Skin, Hras WT and Hras -/- This data set contains the transcriptional profiles of 20 dorsal skin samples from eight-week-old mice. Mice were generated by crossing FVB/N to Mus spretus mice to generate F1 mice, and then crossing F1 mice back to the FVB/N strain. 10  FVB/N mice lacking Hras1 (aka HrasKO, Hras-/-) and 10  FVB/N mice with wild-type Hras1 were generated. Read the abstract.

Efficacy of rodenticide baits for the control of three invasive rodent species in Hawaii.

PubMed

Pitt, William C; Driscoll, Laura C; Sugihara, Robert T

2011-04-01

We tested the efficacy and palatability of nine commercial rodenticide bait formulations on Polynesian rats (Rattus exulans), roof rats (R. rattus), and house mice (Mus musculus). Efficacy varied by rodenticide tested and rodent species. Generally, rodenticides were more effective against mice than for either of the rat species, and mice tended to consume more rodenticide bait than the laboratory chow alternative food. Efficacy was generally highest for the second-generation anticoagulants tested; however, this varied across products and one-first-generation rodenticide had similar effectiveness. Bait acceptance (palatability) also varied both by rodenticide and by rodent species. Acceptance was the lowest for the acute rodenticides. Bait acceptance appeared to substantially affect the efficacy of rodenticides; materials that were not well accepted produced lower mortality rates. Rodenticide products currently registered for use in Hawaii performed less effectively in this study than other available products not yet registered. Although markets for rodent control products for use on islands are limited, there are advantages to having additional products registered for island use in agriculture, conservation, and public health. © US Government 2010

Vocal development and auditory perception in CBA/CaJ mice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Radziwon, Kelly E.

Mice are useful laboratory subjects because of their small size, their modest cost, and the fact that researchers have created many different strains to study a variety of disorders. In particular, researchers have found nearly 100 naturally occurring mouse mutations with hearing impairments. For these reasons, mice have become an important model for studies of human deafness. Although much is known about the genetic makeup and physiology of the laboratory mouse, far less is known about mouse auditory behavior. To fully understand the effects of genetic mutations on hearing, it is necessary to determine the hearing abilities of these mice. Two experiments here examined various aspects of mouse auditory perception using CBA/CaJ mice, a commonly used mouse strain. The frequency difference limens experiment tested the mouse's ability to discriminate one tone from another based solely on the frequency of the tone. The mice had similar thresholds as wild mice and gerbils but needed a larger change in frequency than humans and cats. The second psychoacoustic experiment sought to determine which cue, frequency or duration, was more salient when the mice had to identify various tones. In this identification task, the mice overwhelmingly classified the tones based on frequency instead of duration, suggesting that mice are using frequency when differentiating one mouse vocalization from another. The other two experiments were more naturalistic and involved both auditory perception and mouse vocal production. Interest in mouse vocalizations is growing because of the potential for mice to become a model of human speech disorders. These experiments traced mouse vocal development from infant to adult, and they tested the mouse's preference for various vocalizations. This was the first known study to analyze the vocalizations of individual mice across development. Results showed large variation in calling rates among the three cages of adult mice but results were highly

Mandible shape in hybrid mice.

PubMed

Renaud, Sabrina; Alibert, Paul; Auffray, Jean-Christophe

2009-09-01

Hybridisation between closely related species is frequently seen as retarding evolutionary divergence and can also promote it by creating novel phenotypes due to new genetic combinations and developmental interactions. We therefore investigated how hybridisation affects the shape of the mouse mandible, a well-known feature in evo-devo studies. Parental groups corresponded to two strains of the European mouse sub-species Mus musculus domesticus and Mus musculus musculus. Parents and hybrids were bred in controlled conditions. The mandibles of F(1) hybrids are mostly intermediate between parental phenotypes as expected for a complex multigenic character. Nevertheless, a transgressive effect as well as an increased phenotypic variance characterise the hybrids. This suggests that hybridisation between the two subspecies could lead to a higher phenotypic variance due to complex interactions among the parental genomes including non-additive genetic effects. The major direction of variance is conserved, however, among hybrids and parent groups. Hybridisation may thus play a role in the production of original transgressive phenotypes occurring following pre-existing patterns of variance.

A Complex Genetic Basis to X-Linked Hybrid Male Sterility Between Two Species of House Mice

PubMed Central

Good, Jeffrey M.; Dean, Matthew D.; Nachman, Michael W.

2008-01-01

The X chromosome plays a central role in the evolution of reproductive isolation, but few studies have examined the genetic basis of X-linked incompatibilities during the early stages of speciation. We report the results of a large experiment focused on the reciprocal introgression of the X chromosome between two species of house mice, Mus musculus and M. domesticus. Introgression of the M. musculus X chromosome into a wild-derived M. domesticus genetic background produced male-limited sterility, qualitatively consistent with previous experiments using classic inbred strains to represent M. domesticus. The genetic basis of sterility involved a minimum of four X-linked factors. The phenotypic effects of major sterility QTL were largely additive and resulted in complete sterility when combined. No sterility factors were uncovered on the M. domesticus X chromosome. Overall, these results revealed a complex and asymmetric genetic basis to X-linked hybrid male sterility during the early stages of speciation in mice. Combined with data from previous studies, we identify one relatively narrow interval on the M. musculus X chromosome involved in hybrid male sterility. Only a handful of spermatogenic genes are within this region, including one of the most rapidly evolving genes on the mouse X chromosome. PMID:18689897

A complex genetic basis to X-linked hybrid male sterility between two species of house mice.

PubMed

Good, Jeffrey M; Dean, Matthew D; Nachman, Michael W

2008-08-01

The X chromosome plays a central role in the evolution of reproductive isolation, but few studies have examined the genetic basis of X-linked incompatibilities during the early stages of speciation. We report the results of a large experiment focused on the reciprocal introgression of the X chromosome between two species of house mice, Mus musculus and M. domesticus. Introgression of the M. musculus X chromosome into a wild-derived M. domesticus genetic background produced male-limited sterility, qualitatively consistent with previous experiments using classic inbred strains to represent M. domesticus. The genetic basis of sterility involved a minimum of four X-linked factors. The phenotypic effects of major sterility QTL were largely additive and resulted in complete sterility when combined. No sterility factors were uncovered on the M. domesticus X chromosome. Overall, these results revealed a complex and asymmetric genetic basis to X-linked hybrid male sterility during the early stages of speciation in mice. Combined with data from previous studies, we identify one relatively narrow interval on the M. musculus X chromosome involved in hybrid male sterility. Only a handful of spermatogenic genes are within this region, including one of the most rapidly evolving genes on the mouse X chromosome.

Principles of Economic Rationality in Mice.

PubMed

Rivalan, Marion; Winter, York; Nachev, Vladislav

2017-12-12

Humans and non-human animals frequently violate principles of economic rationality, such as transitivity, independence of irrelevant alternatives, and regularity. The conditions that lead to these violations are not completely understood. Here we report a study on mice tested in automated home-cage setups using rewards of drinking water. Rewards differed in one of two dimensions, volume or probability. Our results suggest that mouse choice conforms to the principles of economic rationality for options that differ along a single reward dimension. A psychometric analysis of mouse choices further revealed that mice responded more strongly to differences in probability than to differences in volume, despite equivalence in return rates. This study also demonstrates the synergistic effect between the principles of economic rationality and psychophysics in making quantitative predictions about choices of healthy laboratory mice. This opens up new possibilities for the analyses of multi-dimensional choice and the use of mice with cognitive impairments that may violate economic rationality.

Dietary challenges differentially affect activity and sleep/wake behavior in mus musculus: Isolating independent associations with diet/energy balance and body weight.

PubMed

Perron, Isaac J; Keenan, Brendan T; Chellappa, Karthikeyani; Lahens, Nicholas F; Yohn, Nicole L; Shockley, Keith R; Pack, Allan I; Veasey, Sigrid C

2018-01-01

Associated with numerous metabolic and behavioral abnormalities, obesity is classified by metrics reliant on body weight (such as body mass index). However, overnutrition is the common cause of obesity, and may independently contribute to these obesity-related abnormalities. Here, we use dietary challenges to parse apart the relative influence of diet and/or energy balance from body weight on various metabolic and behavioral outcomes. Seventy male mice (mus musculus) were subjected to the diet switch feeding paradigm, generating groups with various body weights and energetic imbalances. Spontaneous activity patterns, blood metabolite levels, and unbiased gene expression of the nutrient-sensing ventral hypothalamus (using RNA-sequencing) were measured, and these metrics were compared using standardized multivariate linear regression models. Spontaneous activity patterns were negatively related to body weight (p<0.0001) but not diet/energy balance (p = 0.63). Both body weight and diet/energy balance predicted circulating glucose and insulin levels, while body weight alone predicted plasma leptin levels. Regarding gene expression within the ventral hypothalamus, only two genes responded to diet/energy balance (neuropeptide y [npy] and agouti-related peptide [agrp]), while others were related only to body weight. Collectively, these results demonstrate that individual components of obesity-specifically obesogenic diets/energy imbalance and elevated body mass-can have independent effects on metabolic and behavioral outcomes. This work highlights the shortcomings of using body mass-based indices to assess metabolic health, and identifies novel associations between blood biomarkers, neural gene expression, and animal behavior following dietary challenges.

DNA Sequence Analysis of Sry Alleles (Subgenus Mus) Implicates Misregulation as the Cause of C57bl/6j-Y(pos) Sex Reversal and Defines the Sry Functional Unit

PubMed Central

Albrecht, K. H.; Eicher, E. M.

1997-01-01

The Sry (sex determining region, Y chromosome) open reading frame from mice representing four species of the genus Mus was sequenced in an effort to understand the conditional dysfunction of some M. domesticus Sry alleles when present on the C57BL/6J inbred strain genetic background and to delimit the functionally important protein regions. Twenty-two Sry alleles were sequenced, most from wild-derived Y chromosomes, including 11 M. domesticus alleles, seven M. musculus alleles and two alleles each from the related species M. spicilegus and M. spretus. We found that the HMG domain (high mobility group DNA binding domain) and the unique regions are well conserved, while the glutamine repeat cluster (GRC) region is quite variable. No correlation was found between the predicted protein isoforms and the ability of a Sry allele to allow differentiation of ovarian tissue when on the C57BL/6J genetic background, strongly suggesting that the cause of this sex reversal is not the Sry protein itself, but rather the regulation of SRY expression. Furthermore, our interspecies sequence analysis provides compelling evidence that the M. musculus and M. domesticus SRY functional domain is contained in the first 143 amino acids, which includes the HMG domain and adjacent unique region (UR-2). PMID:9383069

Clinical Procedures Training for Veterinary Technicians and Investigators using Common Laboratory Animal Species, including: Mice (Mus musculus), Rats (Rattus norvegicus), Hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus), Guinea Pigs (Gavia porcellus), Rabbits (Otyctolagus cuniculus), Ferrets (Mustela putorius furo), Pigs (Sus scrofa), Sheep (Ovis aries), and Goats (Capra hircus)

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-08-30

Guinea Pigs (Gavia porcellus), Rabbits(Otycto/agus cuniculus), Ferrets (Mustela putorius furo), Pigs (Sus scrota), Sheep (Ovis aries), and Goats...medication techniques and anesthesia methods for mice and pigs . A total of 4 hours of training were delivered to 3 students. (ate) FDG20140003A 2...clinically useful procedures such as medication techniques and anesthesia methods for mice and pigs . A total of 4 hours of training were delivered to 3

Analysis of Copy Number Variation in the Abp Gene Regions of Two House Mouse Subspecies Suggests Divergence during the Gene Family Expansions.

PubMed

Pezer, Željka; Chung, Amanda G; Karn, Robert C; Laukaitis, Christina M

2017-06-01

The Androgen-binding protein ( Abp ) gene region of the mouse genome contains 64 genes, some encoding pheromones that influence assortative mating between mice from different subspecies. Using CNVnator and quantitative PCR, we explored copy number variation in this gene family in natural populations of Mus musculus domesticus ( Mmd ) and Mus musculus musculus ( Mmm ), two subspecies of house mice that form a narrow hybrid zone in Central Europe. We found that copy number variation in the center of the Abp gene region is very common in wild Mmd , primarily representing the presence/absence of the final duplications described for the mouse genome. Clustering of Mmd individuals based on this variation did not reflect their geographical origin, suggesting no population divergence in the Abp gene cluster. However, copy number variation patterns differ substantially between Mmd and other mouse taxa. Large blocks of Abp genes are absent in Mmm , Mus musculus castaneus and an outgroup, Mus spretus , although with differences in variation and breakpoint locations. Our analysis calls into question the reliance on a reference genome for interpreting the detailed organization of genes in taxa more distant from the Mmd reference genome. The polymorphic nature of the gene family expansion in all four taxa suggests that the number of Abp genes, especially in the central gene region, is not critical to the survival and reproduction of the mouse. However, Abp haplotypes of variable length may serve as a source of raw genetic material for new signals influencing reproductive communication and thus speciation of mice. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution.

3D-MICE: integration of cross-sectional and longitudinal imputation for multi-analyte longitudinal clinical data.

PubMed

Luo, Yuan; Szolovits, Peter; Dighe, Anand S; Baron, Jason M

2018-06-01

A key challenge in clinical data mining is that most clinical datasets contain missing data. Since many commonly used machine learning algorithms require complete datasets (no missing data), clinical analytic approaches often entail an imputation procedure to "fill in" missing data. However, although most clinical datasets contain a temporal component, most commonly used imputation methods do not adequately accommodate longitudinal time-based data. We sought to develop a new imputation algorithm, 3-dimensional multiple imputation with chained equations (3D-MICE), that can perform accurate imputation of missing clinical time series data. We extracted clinical laboratory test results for 13 commonly measured analytes (clinical laboratory tests). We imputed missing test results for the 13 analytes using 3 imputation methods: multiple imputation with chained equations (MICE), Gaussian process (GP), and 3D-MICE. 3D-MICE utilizes both MICE and GP imputation to integrate cross-sectional and longitudinal information. To evaluate imputation method performance, we randomly masked selected test results and imputed these masked results alongside results missing from our original data. We compared predicted results to measured results for masked data points. 3D-MICE performed significantly better than MICE and GP-based imputation in a composite of all 13 analytes, predicting missing results with a normalized root-mean-square error of 0.342, compared to 0.373 for MICE alone and 0.358 for GP alone. 3D-MICE offers a novel and practical approach to imputing clinical laboratory time series data. 3D-MICE may provide an additional tool for use as a foundation in clinical predictive analytics and intelligent clinical decision support.

Genes Altered by Intracisternal A Particles in Mouse Mammary Tumorigenesis

DTIC Science & Technology

1997-07-01

mouse Mus musculus as well as most other rodents (1). They are defective retroviruses which contain 3’ and 5’ long terminal repeat (LTR) sequences and... musculus (C57BL/6J) X Mus spretus backcross was obtained for The Jackson Laboratory (Bar Harbor, Maine) and used for localization of the pl7b(kokopelli...understand the nature of the potential mutation found in the tumors I decided to localize pl7b within the mouse genome. I screened a Mus musculus musculus X

Oocytes from pachytene to dictyotene can easily be analysed in neonatal rodents.

PubMed

Singh, A P; Maerzke, S; von Deimling, O; Raman, R; Sperling, K; Neitzel, H

1993-11-01

We have investigated the dynamics of meiotic prophase I in neonatal ovaries from different wild rodent species, from a laboratory strain of Mus musculus and from Mus musculus x Mus spretus F1 hybrids. We found that almost all stages of prophase I were regularly present in neonatal ovaries from these species and that their transcriptional activity can be assessed by [3H]-uridine incorporation, indicating that postnatal analysis of meiotic chromosomes and synapsis may be conducted as an alternative to the investigation of foetal ovaries.

Men and mice: Relating their ages.

PubMed

Dutta, Sulagna; Sengupta, Pallav

2016-05-01

Since the late 18th century, the murine model has been widely used in biomedical research (about 59% of total animals used) as it is compact, cost-effective, and easily available, conserving almost 99% of human genes and physiologically resembling humans. Despite the similarities, mice have a diminutive lifespan compared to humans. In this study, we found that one human year is equivalent to nine mice days, although this is not the case when comparing the lifespan of mice versus humans taking the entire life at the same time without considering each phase separately. Therefore, the precise correlation of age at every point in their lifespan must be determined. Determining the age relation between mice and humans is necessary for setting up experimental murine models more analogous in age to humans. Thus, more accuracy can be obtained in the research outcome for humans of a specific age group, although current outcomes are based on mice of an approximate age. To fill this gap between approximation and accuracy, this review article is the first to establish a precise relation between mice age and human age, following our previous article, which explained the relation in ages of laboratory rats with humans in detail. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Studying epigenetic DNA modifications in undergraduate laboratories using complementary bioinformatic and molecular approaches.

PubMed

Militello, Kevin T

2013-01-01

Epigenetic inheritance is the inheritance of genetic information that is not based on DNA sequence alone. One type of epigenetic information that has come to the forefront in the last few years is modified DNA bases. The most common modified DNA base in nature is 5-methylcytosine. Herein, we describe a laboratory experiment that combines bioinformatic and molecular approaches to study the presence and abundance of 5-methylcytosine in different organisms. Students were originally provided with the protein sequence of the Xenopus laevis DNMT1 cytosine-5 DNA methyltransferase and used BLASTP searches to detect the presence of protein orthologs in the genomes of several organisms including Homo sapiens, Mus musculus, Plasmodium falciparum, Drosophila melanogaster, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Arabidopsis thaliana, and Caenorhabditis elegans. Students generated hypotheses regarding the presence and abundance of 5-methylcytosine in these organisms based on their bioinformatics data, and directly tested their predictions on a subset of DNAs using restriction enzyme isoschizomer assays. A southern blotting assay to answer the same question is also presented. In addition to exposure to the field of epigenetics, the strengths of the laboratory are students are able to make predictions using bioinformatic tools and quickly test them in the laboratory. In addition, students are exposed to two potential misinterpretations of bioinformatic search data. The laboratory is easily modified to incorporate outside research interests in epigenetics. © 2013 by The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

Mismatch repair proteins, meiosis, and mice: understanding the complexities of mammalian meiosis.

PubMed

Svetlanov, Anton; Cohen, Paula E

2004-05-15

Mammalian meiosis differs from that seen in lower eukaryotes in several respects, not least of which is the added complexity of dealing with chromosomal interactions across a much larger genome (12 MB over 16 chromosome pairs in Saccharomyces cerevisiae compared to 2500 MB over 19 autosome pairs in Mus musculus). Thus, the recombination machinery, while being highly conserved through eukaryotes, has evolved to accommodate such issues to preserve genome integrity and to ensure propagation of the species. One group of highly conserved meiotic regulators is the DNA mismatch repair protein family that, as their name implies, were first identified as proteins that act to repair DNA mismatches that arise primarily during DNA replication. Their function in ensuring chromosomal integrity has also translated into a critical role for this family in meiotic recombination in most sexually reproducing organisms. In mice, targeted deletion of certain family members results in severe consequences for meiotic progression and infertility. This review will focus on the studies involving these mutant mouse models, with occasional comparison to the function of these proteins in other organisms.

The evolutionary turnover of recombination hot spots contributes to speciation in mice

PubMed Central

Smagulova, Fatima; Brick, Kevin; Pu, Yongmei; Camerini-Otero, R. Daniel; Petukhova, Galina V.

2016-01-01

Meiotic recombination is required for the segregation of homologous chromosomes and is essential for fertility. In most mammals, the DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) that initiate meiotic recombination are directed to a subset of genomic loci (hot spots) by sequence-specific binding of the PRDM9 protein. Rapid evolution of the DNA-binding specificity of PRDM9 and gradual erosion of PRDM9-binding sites by gene conversion will alter the recombination landscape over time. To better understand the evolutionary turnover of recombination hot spots and its consequences, we mapped DSB hot spots in four major subspecies of Mus musculus with different Prdm9 alleles and in their F1 hybrids. We found that hot spot erosion governs the preferential usage of some Prdm9 alleles over others in hybrid mice and increases sequence diversity specifically at hot spots that become active in the hybrids. As crossovers are disfavored at such hot spots, we propose that sequence divergence generated by hot spot turnover may create an impediment for recombination in hybrids, potentially leading to reduced fertility and, eventually, speciation. PMID:26833728

Examining Object Location and Object Recognition Memory in Mice

PubMed Central

Vogel-Ciernia, Annie; Wood, Marcelo A.

2014-01-01

Unit Introduction The ability to store and recall our life experiences defines a person's identity. Consequently, the loss of long-term memory is a particularly devastating part of a variety of cognitive disorders, diseases and injuries. There is a great need to develop therapeutics to treat memory disorders, and thus a variety of animal models and memory paradigms have been developed. Mouse models have been widely used both to study basic disease mechanisms and to evaluate potential drug targets for therapeutic development. The relative ease of genetic manipulation of Mus musculus has led to a wide variety of genetically altered mice that model cognitive disorders ranging from Alzheimer's disease to autism. Rodents, including mice, are particularly adept at encoding and remembering spatial relationships, and these long-term spatial memories are dependent on the medial temporal lobe of the brain. These brain regions are also some of the first and most heavily impacted in disorders of human memory including Alzheimer's disease. Consequently, some of the simplest and most commonly used tests of long-term memory in mice are those that examine memory for objects and spatial relationships. However, many of these tasks, such as Morris water maze and contextual fear conditioning, are dependent upon the encoding and retrieval of emotionally aversive and inherently stressful training events. While these types of memories are important, they do not reflect the typical day-to-day experiences or memories most commonly affected in human disease. In addition, stress hormone release alone can modulate memory and thus obscure or artificially enhance these types of tasks. To avoid these sorts of confounds, we and many others have utilized tasks testing animals’ memory for object location and novel object recognition. These tasks involve exploiting rodents’ innate preference for novelty, and are inherently not stressful. In this protocol we detail how memory for object location

Experimental Shigella Infections in Laboratory Animals I. Antagonism by Human Normal Flora Components in Gnotobiotic Mice 12

PubMed Central

Maier, Bruce R.; Hentges, David J.

1972-01-01

Germfree mice were associated with selected species of human intestinal bacteria and then challenged with a streptomycin-resistant Shigella flexneri strain. Antagonism against Shigella was most pronounced in mice associated with Escherichia coli and least pronounced in mice associated with Bacteroides fragilis. A moderate degree of antagonism could be demonstrated in mice associated with either Streptococcus faecalis or Bifidobacterium adolescentis. Shigella persisted in the cecal contents of E. coli-associated mice at very low, stable levels. Shigella populations were reduced to levels below detection in the ceca of mice diassociated with E. coli and Bacteroides. Upon subsequent administration of streptomycin, Bacteroides disappeared from the ceca. The E. coli population was greatly reduced, and Shigella reappeared at very high population levels as an apparent recombinant which resembled E. coli biochemically. A streptomycin-resistant E. coli population subsequently emerged and became dominant in the ceca. Shigella concomitantly declined to levels below detection. PMID:4631914

Contrasting behavior of heterochromatic and euchromatic chromosome portions and pericentric genome separation in pre-bouquet spermatocytes of hybrid mice.

PubMed

Scherthan, Harry; Schöfisch, Karina; Dell, Thomas; Illner, Doris

2014-12-01

The spatial distribution of parental genomes has attracted much interest because intranuclear chromosome distribution can modulate the transcriptome of cells and influence the efficacy of meiotic homologue pairing. Pairing of parental chromosomes is imperative to sexual reproduction as it translates into homologue segregation and genome haploidization to counteract the genome doubling at fertilization. Differential FISH tagging of parental pericentromeric genome portions and specific painting of euchromatic chromosome arms in Mus musculus (MMU) × Mus spretus (MSP) hybrid spermatogenesis disclosed a phase of homotypic non-homologous pericentromere clustering that led to parental pericentric genome separation from the pre-leptoteneup to zygotene stages. Preferential clustering of MMU pericentromeres correlated with particular enrichment of epigenetic marks (H3K9me3), HP1-γ and structural maintenance of chromosomes SMC6 complex proteins at the MMU major satellite DNA repeats. In contrast to the separation of heterochromatic pericentric genome portions, the euchromatic arms of homeologous chromosomes showed considerable presynaptic pairing already during leptotene stage of all mice investigated. Pericentric genome separation was eventually disbanded by telomere clustering that concentrated both parental pericentric genome portions in a limited nuclear sector of the bouquet nucleus. Our data disclose the differential behavior of pericentromeric heterochromatin and the euchromatic portions of the parental genomes during homologue search. Homotypic pericentromere clustering early in prophase I may contribute to the exclusion of large repetitive DNA domains from homology search, while the telomere bouquet congregates and registers spatially separated portions of the genome to fuel synapsis initiation and high levels of homologue pairing, thus contributing to the fidelity of meiosis and reproduction.

Dedicated Laboratory Setup for CO{sub 2} TEA Laser Propulsion Experiments at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Salvador, Israel I.; Kenoyer, David; Myrabo, Leik N.

Laser propulsion research progress has traditionally been hindered by the scarcity of photon sources with desirable characteristics, as well as integrated specialized flow facilities in a dedicated laboratory environment. For TEA CO{sub 2} lasers, the minimal requirements are time-average powers of >100 W), and pulse energies of >10 J pulses with short duration (e.g., 0.1 to 1 {mu}s); furthermore, for the advanced pulsejet engines of interest here, the laser system must simulate pulse repetition frequencies of 1-10 kilohertz or more, at least for two (carefully sequenced) pulses. A well-equipped laser propulsion laboratory should have an arsenal of sensor and diagnosticsmore » tools (such as load cells, thrust stands, moment balances, pressure and heat transfer gages), Tesla-level electromagnet and permanent magnets, flow simulation facilities, and high-speed visualization systems, in addition to other related equipment, such as optics and gas supply systems. In this paper we introduce a cutting-edge Laser Propulsion Laboratory created at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, one of the very few in the world to be uniquely set up for beamed energy propulsion (BEP) experiments. The present BEP research program is described, along with the envisioned research strategy that will exploit current and expanded facilities in the near future.« less

Light intensity and the oestrous cycle in albino and normally pigmented mice.

PubMed

Donnelly, H; Saibaba, P

1993-10-01

The effects of light intensity (15-20 lux & 220-290 lux) on the oestrous cycle of albino and normally pigmented mice were examined. The oestrous cycle of both types of mice was shorter at the lower intensity but the difference was significant only with the black mice. The proportion of albino mice from which embryos were recovered was significantly smaller than the proportion of black mice at 15-20 lux but not at 220-290 lux. No significant differences due to strain or light intensity were found in the number of embryos recovered. We conclude that pigmented mice respond in the same way as albino mice to changes in light intensity within the range normally found in laboratory animal accommodation. That is, increased light intensity prolongs the oestrous cycle and the period of vaginal cornification.

Use of elemental and molecular-mass spectrometry to assess the toxicological effects of inorganic mercury in the mouse Mus musculus.

PubMed

García-Sevillano, Miguel Angel; García-Barrera, Tamara; Navarro, Francisco; Gailer, Jürgen; Gómez-Ariza, José Luiz

2014-09-01

The biochemical response of mice (Mus musculus) to acute subcutaneous inorganic-mercury exposure was assessed over a 14-day period by analyzing cytosolic extracts of the liver, the kidneys, and blood plasma. Integrated metallomic and metabolomic approaches using elemental and molecular-mass spectrometry were used to obtain comprehensive insight into the toxicological effects of mercury regarding its distribution and possible perturbation of metabolic pathways. The metallomic approach involved the use of size-exclusion chromatography (SEC) coupled with multiaffinity chromatography inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and isotopic-dilution analysis. The metabolomic approach involved the direct infusion of polar and lipophilic tissue extracts into a mass spectrometer (DIMS) in the positive and negative acquisition mode (ESI+and ESI-). The use of SEC-ICP-MS enabled us to detect changes in the metalloproteome in the liver and the kidneys during the exposure period, and revealed that interactions between Hg and endogenous Cu and Zn adversely affected the homeostasis of these essential metals. The detection of an Hg-Se detoxification product in mouse plasma substantiated the known interaction between Hg and Se in mammals. Use of DIMS in conjunction with partial-least-squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) uncovered time-dependent changes of endogenous metabolites over time, corroborated by histopathology investigation of specific mouse tissues. The perturbations of endogenous metabolic profiles were explained in terms of the adverse effect of mercury on energy metabolism (e.g. glycolysis, Krebs cycle), the degradation of membrane phospholipids (apoptosis), and increased levels of specific lipids in plasma. In summary, use of an SEC-ICP-MS-based metallomics approach in conjunction with molecular-mass-spectrometry-based metabolomics is revealed as a promising strategy to more comprehensively investigate the toxicological effects of harmful environmental

Preferences of group-housed female mice regarding structure of softwood bedding.

PubMed

Kirchner, J; Hackbarth, H; Stelzer, H D; Tsai, P-P

2012-04-01

Bedding influences various parameters in the housing of laboratory mice, such as health, physiology and behaviour (often considered as being integral parts of welfare). Notwithstanding existent studies about bedding preferences of individually tested mice, data about group-housed mice are still lacking. The aim of this study was to find out the structure preference for softwood bedding of group-housed mice. One hundred and eight 8-week-old female mice (C57BL6/JOlaHsd and BALB/cOlaHsd) were housed in groups of three and were given one-week free access to two different bedding structures at a time. In three test combinations, softwood shaving bedding was tested versus softwood chip bedding products of three different particle sizes (fine/medium/coarse-grained). The preference test was performed in a DoubleCage system composed of two Makrolon type IIL cages, connected by a perspex tunnel. This validated system was able to detect the crossings of each individual animal with correct crossing time and direction. On the basis of these data, dwelling times on the particular bedding structures were statistically analysed as a parameter for bedding preferences. In all three test combinations, a highly significant shaving preference was detected. On average, mice spent 70% of their dwelling time on the shavings. This preference was more explicit during the light period and in C57BL/6J mice. The relative ranking of the bedding structures was: shavings > coarse-grained chips > medium chips = fine chips. By means of these results, a shaving structure as bedding can be recommended for laboratory mice, whereas fine chip structures should be avoided.

X-Chromosome Control of Genome-Scale Recombination Rates in House Mice.

PubMed

Dumont, Beth L

2017-04-01

Sex differences in recombination are widespread in mammals, but the causes of this pattern are poorly understood. Previously, males from two interfertile subspecies of house mice, Mus musculus musculus and M. m. castaneus , were shown to exhibit a ∼30% difference in their global crossover frequencies. Much of this crossover rate divergence is explained by six autosomal loci and a large-effect locus on the X chromosome. Intriguingly, the allelic effects at this X-linked locus are transgressive, with the allele conferring increased crossover rate being transmitted by the low crossover rate M. m. castaneus parent. Despite the pronounced divergence between males, females from these subspecies exhibit similar crossover rates, raising the question of how recombination is genetically controlled in this sex. Here, I analyze publicly available genotype data from early generations of the Collaborative Cross, an eight-way panel of recombinant inbred strains, to estimate crossover frequencies in female mice with sex-chromosome genotypes of diverse subspecific origins. Consistent with the transgressive influence of the X chromosome in males, I show that females inheriting an M. m. castaneus X possess higher average crossover rates than females lacking the M. m. castaneus X chromosome. The differential inheritance of the X chromosome in males and females provides a simple genetic explanation for sex-limited evolution of this trait. Further, the presence of X-linked and autosomal crossover rate modifiers with antagonistic effects hints at an underlying genetic conflict fueled by selection for distinct crossover rate optima in males and females. Copyright © 2017 by the Genetics Society of America.

Differences in Susceptibility of Inbred Mice to Bacillus anthracis

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-04-26

dilutions of the mixture were prepared and injected into A/J and CBA/J mice via the tail vein, as described by Ezzell et al. (9). Five mice per strain were...xylazine (Rompun, Miles Laboratories, Shawnee, Kansas) in 50 pl, and were dissected iwnmediately. Gross pathological changes were noted, heart blood and...anthracis; a histopathological study of skin lesions produced by B. anthracis in susceptible and resistant animal species. J. Infect. Dis. 80:1-13. 9. Ezzell

The clock gene Period1 regulates innate routine behaviour in mice.

PubMed

Bechstein, Philipp; Rehbach, Nils-Jörn; Yuhasingham, Gowzekan; Schürmann, Christoph; Göpfert, Melanie; Kössl, Manfred; Maronde, Erik

2014-04-22

Laboratory mice are well capable of performing innate routine behaviour programmes necessary for courtship, nest-building and exploratory activities although housed for decades in animal facilities. We found that in mice inactivation of the clock gene Period1 profoundly changes innate routine behaviour programmes like those necessary for courtship, nest building, exploration and learning. These results in wild-type and Period1 mutant mice, together with earlier findings on courtship behaviour in wild-type and period-mutant Drosophila melanogaster, suggest a conserved role of Period-genes on innate routine behaviour. Additionally, both per-mutant flies and Period1-mutant mice display spatial learning and memory deficits. The profound influence of Period1 on routine behaviour programmes in mice, including female partner choice, may be independent of its function as a circadian clock gene, since Period1-deficient mice display normal circadian behaviour.

Reproductive isolation in hybrid mice due to spermatogenesis defects at three meiotic stages.

PubMed

Oka, Ayako; Mita, Akihiko; Takada, Yuki; Koseki, Haruhiko; Shiroishi, Toshihiko

2010-09-01

Early in the process of speciation, reproductive failures occur in hybrid animals between genetically diverged populations. The sterile hybrid animals are often males in mammals and they exhibit spermatogenic disruptions, resulting in decreased number and/or malformation of mature sperms. Despite the generality of this phenomenon, comparative study of phenotypes in hybrid males from various crosses has not been done, and therefore the comprehensive genetic basis of the disruption is still elusive. In this study, we characterized the spermatogenic phenotype especially during meiosis in four different cases of reproductive isolation: B6-ChrX(MSM), PGN-ChrX(MSM), (B6 × Mus musculus musculus-NJL/Ms) F(1), and (B6 × Mus spretus) F(1). The first two are consomic strains, both bearing the X chromosome of M. m. molossinus; in B6-ChrX(MSM), the genetic background is the laboratory strain C57BL/6J (predominantly M. m. domesticus), while in PGN-ChrX(MSM) the background is the PGN2/Ms strain purely derived from wild M. m. domesticus. The last two cases are F(1) hybrids between mouse subspecies or species. Each of the hybrid males exhibited cell-cycle arrest and/or apoptosis at either one or two of three distinct meiotic stages: premeiotic stage, zygotene-to-pachytene stage of prophase I, and metaphase I. This study shows that the sterility in hybrid males is caused by spermatogenic disruptions at multiple stages, suggesting that the responsible genes function in different cellular processes. Furthermore, the stages with disruptions are not correlated with the genetic distance between the respective parental strains.

Toxicological evaluation in silico and in vivo of secondary metabolites of Cissampelos sympodialis in Mus musculus mice following inhalation.

PubMed

Alves, Mateus Feitosa; Ferreira, Larissa Adilis Maria Paiva; Gadelha, Francisco Allysson Assis Ferreira; Ferreira, Laércia Karla Diega Paiva; Felix, Mayara Barbalho; Scotti, Marcus Tullius; Scotti, Luciana; de Oliveira, Kardilândia Mendes; Dos Santos, Sócrates Golzio; Diniz, Margareth de Fátima Formiga Melo

2017-12-04

The ethanolic extract of the leaves of Cissampelos sympodialis showed great pharmacological potential, with inflammatory and immunomodulatory activities, however, it showed some toxicological effects. Therefore, this study aims to verify the toxicological potential of alkaloids of the genus Cissampelos through in silico methodologies, to develop a method in LC-MS/MS verifying the presence of alkaloids in the infusion and to evaluate the toxicity of the infusion of the leaves of C. sympodialis when inhaled by Swiss mice. Results in silico showed that alkaloid 93 presented high toxicological potential along with the products of its metabolism. LC-MS/MS results showed that the infusion of the leaves of this plant contained the alkaloids warifteine and methylwarifteine. Finally, the in vivo toxicological analysis of the C. sympodialis infusion showed results, both in biochemistry, organ weights and histological analysis, that the infusion of C. sympodialis leaves presents a low toxicity.

The uncharacterized gene 1700093K21Rik and flanking regions are correlated with reproductive isolation in the house mouse, Mus musculus.

PubMed

Kass, David H; Janoušek, Václav; Wang, Liuyang; Tucker, Priscilla K

2014-06-01

Reproductive barriers exist between the house mouse subspecies, Mus musculus musculus and M. m. domesticus, members of the Mus musculus species complex, primarily as a result of hybrid male infertility, and a hybrid zone exists where their ranges intersect in Europe. Using single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) diagnostic for the two taxa, the extent of introgression across the genome was previously compared in these hybrid populations. Sixty-nine of 1316 autosomal SNPs exhibited reduced introgression in two hybrid zone transects suggesting maladaptive interactions among certain loci. One of these markers is within a region on chromosome 11 that, in other studies, has been associated with hybrid male sterility of these subspecies. We assessed sequence variation in a 20 Mb region on chromosome 11 flanking this marker, and observed its inclusion within a roughly 150 kb stretch of DNA showing elevated sequence differentiation between the two subspecies. Four genes are associated with this genomic subregion, with two entirely encompassed. One of the two genes, the uncharacterized 1700093K21Rik gene, displays distinguishing features consistent with a potential role in reproductive isolation between these subspecies. Along with its expression specifically within spermatogenic cells, we present various sequence analyses that demonstrate a high rate of molecular evolution of this gene, as well as identify a subspecies amino acid variant resulting in a structural difference. Taken together, the data suggest a role for this gene in reproductive isolation.

Behaviorally Mediated, Warm Adaptation: A Physiological Strategy When Mice Are Allowed to Behaviorally Thermoregulate

EPA Science Inventory

Laboratory mice housed under standard vivarium conditions with an ambient temperature (Ta) of -22°C are likely to be cold stressed because this Ta is below their thermoneutral zone (TNZ). Mice raised at Tas within the TNZ adapt to the warmer temperatures, developing smaller int...

Oxidative costs of reproduction: Oxidative stress in mice fed standard and low antioxidant diets.

PubMed

Vaanholt, L M; Milne, A; Zheng, Y; Hambly, C; Mitchell, S E; Valencak, T G; Allison, D B; Speakman, J R

2016-02-01

Lactation is one of the most energetically expensive behaviours, and trade-offs may exist between the energy devoted to it and somatic maintenance, including protection against oxidative damage. However, conflicting data exist for the effects of reproduction on oxidative stress. In the wild, a positive relationship is often observed, but in laboratory studies oxidative damage is often lower in lactating than in non-breeding animals. We hypothesised that this discrepancy may exist because during lactation food intake increases many-fold resulting in a large increase in the intake of dietary antioxidants which are typically high in laboratory rodent chow where they are added as a preservative. We supplied lactating and non-breeding control mice with either a standard or low antioxidant diet and studied how this affected the activity of endogenous antioxidants (catalase, superoxide dismutase; SOD, and glutathione peroxidise; GPx) and oxidative damage to proteins (protein carbonyls, PC) in liver and brain tissue. The low antioxidant diet did not significantly affect activities of antioxidant enzymes in brain or liver, and generally did not result in increased protein damage, except in livers of control mice on low antioxidant diet. Catalase activity, but not GPx or SOD, was decreased in both control and lactating mice on the low antioxidant diet. Lactating mice had significantly reduced oxidative damage to both liver and brain compared to control mice, independent of the diet they were given. In conclusion, antioxidant content of the diet did not affect oxidative stress in control or reproductive mice, and cannot explain the previously observed reduction in oxidative stress in lactating mammals studied in the laboratory. The reduced oxidative stress in the livers of lactating mice even under low antioxidant diet treatment was consistent with the 'shielding' hypothesis. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Meiotic drive on aberrant chromosome 1 in the mouse is determined by a linked distorter.

PubMed

Agulnik, S I; Sabantsev, I D; Orlova, G V; Ruvinsky, A O

1993-04-01

An aberrant chromosome 1 carrying an inverted fragment with two amplified DNA regions was isolated from wild populations of Mus musculus. Meiotic drive favouring the aberrant chromosome was demonstrated for heterozygous females. Its cause was preferential passage of aberrant chromosome 1 to the oocyte. Genetic analysis allowed us to identify a two-component system conditioning deviation from equal segregation of the homologues. The system consists of a postulated distorter and responder. The distorter is located on chromosome 1 distally to the responder, between the ln and Pep-3 genes, and it acts on the responder when in trans position. Polymorphism of the distorters was manifested as variation in their effect on meiotic drive level in the laboratory strain and mice from wild populations.

1800 MHz mobile phone irradiation induced oxidative and nitrosative stress leads to p53 dependent Bax mediated testicular apoptosis in mice, Mus musculus.

PubMed

Shahin, Saba; Singh, Surya P; Chaturvedi, Chandra M

2018-09-01

Present study was carried out to investigate the effect of long-term mobile phone radiation exposure in different operative modes (Dialing, Receiving, and Stand-by) on immature male mice. Three-week old male mice were exposed to mobile phone (1800 MHz) radiation for 3 hr/day for 120 days in different operative modes. To check the changes/alteration in testicular histoarchitecture and serum testosterone level, HE staining and ELISA was performed respectively. Further, we have checked the redox status (ROS, NO, MDA level, and antioxidant enzymes: SOD, CAT, and GPx) by biochemical estimation, alteration in the expression of pro-apoptotic proteins (p53 and Bax), active executioner caspase-3, full length/uncleaved PARP-1 (DNA repair enzyme), anti-apoptotic proteins (Bcl-2 and Bcl-x L ) in testes by immunofluorescence and cytosolic cytochrome-c by Western blot. Decreased seminiferous tubule diameter, sperm count, and viability along with increased germ cells apoptosis and decreased serum testosterone level, was observed in the testes of all the mobile phone exposed mice compared with control. We also observed that, mobile phone radiation exposure in all the three different operative modes alters the testicular redox status via increasing ROS, NO, and MDA level, and decreasing antioxidant enzymes levels leading to enhanced apoptosis of testicular cells by increasing the expression of pro-apoptotic and apoptotic proteins along with decreasing the expression of anti-apoptotic protein. On the basis of results, it is conclude that long-term mobile phone radiation exposure induced oxidative stress leads to apoptosis of testicular cells and thus impairs testicular function. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Hypothermia increases interleukin-6 and interleukin-10 in juvenile endotoxemic mice.

PubMed

Stewart, Corrine R; Landseadel, Jessica P; Gurka, Matthew J; Fairchild, Karen D

2010-01-01

To develop a juvenile mouse model to establish effects of in vivo hypothermia on expression of the inflammation-modulating cytokines tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-1beta, interleukin-6, and interleukin-10. Although induced hypothermia is neuroprotective in some patients, the mechanisms of protection are not well understood and concerns remain over potential detrimental effects, particularly in the setting of infection. We previously showed that in vitro hypothermia increases production of tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-1beta in lipopolysaccharide-treated monocytes. : Laboratory investigation. Research laboratory. Juvenile (4-wk) male C57BL/6 mice. : Mice were given chlorpromazine to suspend thermoregulation and lipopolysaccharide to stimulate cytokine production. Core temperature was maintained at 32 degrees C or 37 degrees C for 6 hrs by adjusting environmental temperature. In separate experiments, lipopolysaccharide-treated mice were kept in a cooling chamber without chlorpromazine treatment. Plasma and organs were collected for cytokine quantitation. Chlorpromazine-treated hypothermic mice had 2.3-fold and 1.8-fold higher plasma interleukin-6 and interleukin-10 levels at 6 hrs compared with identically treated normothermic mice (p < .05), whereas plasma tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-1beta were not significantly different at 2 hrs or 6 hrs. Liver tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-6 were significantly higher in hypothermic vs. normothermic mice, but lung and brain cytokines were not different. Lipopolysaccharide-treated mice kept in a cooling chamber without chlorpromazine treatment developed varying degrees of hypothermia with associated increases in plasma interleukin-6 and interleukin-10. A nonspecific marker of stress (plasma corticosterone) was not affected by hypothermia in lipopolysaccharide-treated mice. Further studies are necessary to determine the mechanism and physiologic consequences of augmented systemic

Evaluation of Acute toxicity of Lambda Cyhalothrin in Mus musculus L.

PubMed

Tomar, Monika; Kumar, Ajay; Kataria, Sudhir Kumar

2015-08-01

Lambda Cyhalothrin (LCT) is a type II synthetic pyrethroid widely used in agriculture, home pest control and protection of food stuff. Here, we evaluated its toxicity on biochemical parameters (Total protein, Acetyl cholinesterase, RNA and DNA) and liver histological alteration in mice after 24 h of oral administration @ 25, 50 and 75% of LD50 i.e.; 26.49 mg/kg/body wt. Distilled water (DW) and Cyclophosphamide (CP @ 40 mg/kg/body wt.) were used as negative and positive control; respectively. LCT treated mice showed significant decrease in total protein (P < 0.01), acetyl cholinesterase (P < 0.001) and DNA (P < 0.001) in a dose dependent manner. On the contrary, RNA content showed significant increase (P < 0.01) at 50% of LD50 of LCT. Histological observations of the mice liver showed vascular congestion and hepatocyte degeneration with 6.63 mg/kg/body wt. of LCT; and accumulation of RBCs with sinusoid degeneration and wide necrotic area with pyknosis with 13.25 and 19.88 mg/kg/body wt., respectively. The results demonstrated LCT induced biochemical changes and hepatotoxicity in female mice.

Effect of 90-day space flight (MDS-ISS) on immunological parameters in mice: lymphocyte distribution and function

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roberts, Arthur; Lhuillier, Andrew; Liu, Yi; Ruggiu, Alessandra; Shi, Yufang

Elucidation of the effects of space flight on the immune system of astronauts and other animal species is important for the survival and success of manned space flight, especially long-term missions. Space flight exposes astronauts to microgravity, galactic cosmic radiation (GCR), and various psycho-social stressors. Blood samples from astronauts returning from space flight have shown changes in the numbers and types of circulating leukocytes. Similarly, normal lym-phocyte homeostasis has been shown to be severely affected in mice using ground-based models of microgravity and GCR exposure, as demonstrated by profound effects on several immuno-logical parameters examined by other investigators and ourselves. In particular, lymphocyte numbers are significantly reduced and subpopulation distribution is altered in the spleen, thy-mus, and peripheral blood following hindlimb unloading (HU) in mice. Lymphocyte depletion was found to be mediated through corticosteroid-induced apoptosis, although the molecular mechanism of apoptosis induction is still under investigation. The proliferative capacity of TCR-stimulated lymphocytes was also inhibited after HU. We have similarly shown that mice exposed to high-energy 56Fe ion radiation have decreased lymphocyte numbers and perturba-tions in proportions of various subpopulations, including CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, and B cells in the spleen, and maturation stages of immature T cells in the thymus. To compare these ground-based results to the effects of actual space-flight, fresh spleen and thymus samples were recently obtained from normal and transgenic mice immediately after 90 d. space-flight in the MDS, and identically-housed ground control mice. Total leukocyte numbers in each organ were enumerated, and subpopulation distribution was examined by flow cytometric analysis of CD3, CD4, CD8, CD19, CD25, DX-5, and CD11b. Splenic T cells were stimulated with anti-CD3 and assessed for proliferation after 2-4 d., and production of

The clock gene Period1 regulates innate routine behaviour in mice

PubMed Central

Bechstein, Philipp; Rehbach, Nils-Jörn; Yuhasingham, Gowzekan; Schürmann, Christoph; Göpfert, Melanie; Kössl, Manfred; Maronde, Erik

2014-01-01

Laboratory mice are well capable of performing innate routine behaviour programmes necessary for courtship, nest-building and exploratory activities although housed for decades in animal facilities. We found that in mice inactivation of the clock gene Period1 profoundly changes innate routine behaviour programmes like those necessary for courtship, nest building, exploration and learning. These results in wild-type and Period1 mutant mice, together with earlier findings on courtship behaviour in wild-type and period-mutant Drosophila melanogaster, suggest a conserved role of Period-genes on innate routine behaviour. Additionally, both per-mutant flies and Period1-mutant mice display spatial learning and memory deficits. The profound influence of Period1 on routine behaviour programmes in mice, including female partner choice, may be independent of its function as a circadian clock gene, since Period1-deficient mice display normal circadian behaviour. PMID:24598427

[An electron microscopic study on the RNA component of synaptonemal complexes in spermatocytes of Mus musculus].

PubMed

Xing, M; Jing, D Z; Hao, S

1991-01-01

The ultrastructural and cytochemical features of synaptonemal complexes (SC) in sections of spermatocytes of Mus musculus were studied under electron microscope. In specimens stained with uranyl acetate and lead citrate the SC was found consisting of three main elements. the lateral element (LE), the central element (CE) and the transverse filament (L-C filament). When stained with the Bernhard's technique, the SC was recognized as a contrasted, tripartite structure which was usually located in the bleached area occupied by the condensed chromatin and composed of highly electron-dense LEs and medium electron-dense CE and L-C filaments. The SC and the LE, stained either by uranyl acetate-lead citrate or by the Bernhard's technique, always showed diameters of about 210 nm and 60 nm, respectively. The results suggest that RNA may be an important component of the SC.

Neural Tube Defects In Mice Exposed To Tap Water

PubMed Central

Mallela, Murali K; Werre, Stephen R; Hrubec, Terry C

2010-01-01

In May of 2006 we suddenly began to observe neural tube defects (NTDs) in embryos of untreated control mice. We hypothesized the mice were being exposed unknowingly to a teratogenic agent and investigated the cause. Our results suggested that NTDs were not resulting from bedding material, feed, strain or source of the mice. Additionally, mice were negative for routine and comprehensive screens of pathogens. To further test whether the NTDs resulted from infectious or genetic cause localized to our facility, we obtained three strains of timed pregnant mice from commercial suppliers located in 4 different states. All strains and sources of mice arrived in our laboratory with NTDs, implying that commercially available mice were possibly exposed to a teratogen prior to purchase. Our investigation eventually concluded that exposure to tap water was causing the NTDs. The incidence of NTDs was greatest in purchased mice provided tap water and lowest in purchased mice provided distilled deionized water (DDI). Providing mice DDI water for two generations (F2-DDI) eliminated the NTDs. When F2-DDI mice were provided tap water from three different urban areas prior to breeding, their offspring again developed NTDs. Increased length of exposure to tap water significantly increased the incidence of NTDs. These results indicate that a contaminant in municipal tap water is likely causing NTDs in mice. The unknown teratogen appears to have a wide geographic distribution but has not yet been identified. Water analysis is currently underway to identify candidate contaminants that might be responsible for the malformations. PMID:20549630

Neurodegenerative Disease Transmission and Transgenesis in Mice.

PubMed

Dugger, Brittany N; Perl, Daniel P; Carlson, George A

2017-11-01

Although the discovery of the prion protein (PrP) resulted from its co-purification with scrapie infectivity in Syrian hamsters, work with genetically defined and genetically modified mice proved crucial for understanding the fundamental processes involved not only in prion diseases caused by PrP misfolding, aggregation, and spread but also in other, much more common, neurodegenerative brain diseases. In this review, we focus on methodological and conceptual approaches used to study scrapie and related PrP misfolding diseases in mice and how these approaches have advanced our understanding of related disorders including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. Copyright © 2017 Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press; all rights reserved.

Toxicological Evaluation of Essential Oil From the Leaves of Croton argyrophyllus (Euphorbiaceae) on Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) and Mus musculus (Rodentia: Muridae).

PubMed

Cruz, R C D; Silva, S L C E; Souza, I A; Gualberto, S A; Carvalho, K S; Santos, F R; Carvalho, M G

2017-07-01

Plant-derived essential oils can be used as insecticides for vector control. However, to establish their safety, it is necessary to perform toxicological studies. Herein, we evaluated the chemical composition and insecticidal activity of the essential oil from the leaves of Croton argyrophyllus on the third- and fourth-instar larvae and adult Aedes aegypti (L., 1762). We also evaluated the acute toxicity of the essential oil in adult female Mus musculus. The lethal concentration 50 (LC50) and 90 (LC90) of C. argyrophyllus essential oil on larvae of Ae. aegypti were 0.31 and 0.70 mg ml-1, respectively, and 5.92 and 8.94 mg ml-1, respectively, on Ae. aegypti adults. The major components of the essential oil were spathulenol (22.80%), (E)-caryophyllene (15.41%), α-pinene (14.07%), and bicyclogermacrene (10.43%). It also displayed acute toxicity in adults of Mus musculus; the intraperitoneal and oral lethal dose 50 (LD50) were 2,000 mg kg-1 and 2,500 mg kg-1, respectively. The results showed that the essential oil from C. argyrophyllus leaves has insecticidal activity on Ae. aegypti larvae and adults at an average lethal concentration below the median lethal dose needed to cause acute toxicity in the common mouse. © The Authors 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potentials in Normal Mice and Phex Mice With Spontaneous Endolymphatic Hydrops

PubMed Central

Sheykholeslami, Kianoush; Megerian, Cliff A.; Zheng, Qing Y.

2010-01-01

Objective and Background Vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (VEMPs) have been recorded from the neck musculature and the cervical spinal cord in humans and a limited number of laboratory animals in response to loud sound. However, the mouse VEMP has yet to be described. Evaluation of the sacculocollic pathway via VEMPs in mice can set the stage for future evaluations of mutant mice that now play an important role in research regarding human auditory and vestibular dysfunction. Materials and Methods Sound-evoked potentials were recorded from the neck extensor muscles and the cervical spinal cord in normal adult mice and in circling PhexHyp-Duk/y mice with known vestibular abnormalities, including endolymphatic hydrops (ELH). Results Biphasic potentials were recorded from all normal animals. The mean threshold of the VEMP response in normal adult mice was 60 dB normal hearing level with a mean peak latency of 6.25 ± 0.46 and 7.95 ± 0.42 milliseconds for p1 and n1 peaks, respectively. At the maximum sound intensity used (100 dB normal hearing level), 4 of 5 Phex mice did not exhibit VEMP responses, and 1 showed an elevated threshold, but normal response, with regard to peak latency and amplitude. The histologic findings in all of these Phex mice were consistent with distended membranous labyrinth, displaced Reissner membrane, ganglion cell loss, and ELH. Conclusion This is the first report of VEMP recordings in mice and the first report of abnormal VEMPs in a mouse model with ELH. The characteristics of these potentials such as higher response threshold in comparison to auditory brainstem response, myogenic nature of the response, and latency correlation with the cervical recording (accessory nerve nucleus) were similar to those of VEMPs in humans, guinea pigs, cats, and rats, suggesting that the mouse may be used as an animal model in the study of VEMPs. The simplicity and reliability of these recordings make the VEMP a uniquely informative test for assessing

No evidence of conpopulation sperm precedence between allopatric populations of house mice.

PubMed

Firman, Renée C; Simmons, Leigh W

2014-01-01

Investigations into the evolution of reproductive barriers have traditionally focused on closely related species, and the prevalence of conspecific sperm precedence. The effectiveness of conspecific sperm precedence at limiting gene exchange between species suggests that gametic isolation is an important component of reproductive isolation. However, there is a paucity of tests for evidence of sperm precedence during the earlier stages of divergence, for example among isolated populations. Here, we sourced individuals from two allopatric populations of house mice (Mus domesticus) and performed competitive in vitro fertilisation assays to test for conpopulation sperm precedence specifically at the gametic level. We found that ova population origin did not influence the outcome of the sperm competitions, and thus provide no evidence of conpopulation or heteropopulation sperm precedence. Instead, we found that males from a population that had evolved under a high level of postcopulatory sexual selection consistently outcompeted males from a population that had evolved under a relatively lower level of postcopulatory sexual selection. We standardised the number of motile sperm of each competitor across the replicate assays. Our data therefore show that competitive fertilizing success was directly attributable to differences in sperm fertilizing competence.

EFFECTS OF MARINE ALGAL TOXINS ON THERMOREGULATION IN MICE.

EPA Science Inventory

Hypothermia is often seen in mice and rats exposed acutely to marine algal toxins, but the mechanism of action of these toxins on thermoregulation is not well understood. Our laboratory has assessed the thermoregulatory mechanisms of two marine algal toxins, maitotoxin and brevet...

Supplementation with macular carotenoids improves visual performance of transgenic mice.

PubMed

Li, Binxing; Rognon, Gregory T; Mattinson, Ty; Vachali, Preejith P; Gorusupudi, Aruna; Chang, Fu-Yen; Ranganathan, Arunkumar; Nelson, Kelly; George, Evan W; Frederick, Jeanne M; Bernstein, Paul S

2018-07-01

Carotenoid supplementation can improve human visual performance, but there is still no validated rodent model to test their effects on visual function in laboratory animals. We recently showed that mice deficient in β-carotene oxygenase 2 (BCO2) and/or β-carotene oxygenase 1 (BCO1) enzymes can accumulate carotenoids in their retinas, allowing us to investigate the effects of carotenoids on the visual performance of mice. Using OptoMotry, a device to measure visual function in rodents, we examined the effect of zeaxanthin, lutein, and β-carotene on visual performance of various BCO knockout mice. We then transgenically expressed the human zeaxanthin-binding protein GSTP1 (hGSTP1) in the rods of bco2 -/- mice to examine if delivering more zeaxanthin to retina will improve their visual function further. The visual performance of bco2 -/- mice fed with zeaxanthin or lutein was significantly improved relative to control mice fed with placebo beadlets. β-Carotene had no significant effect in bco2 -/- mice but modestly improved cone visual function of bco1 -/- mice. Expression of hGSTP1 in the rods of bco2 -/- mice resulted in a 40% increase of retinal zeaxanthin and further improvement of visual performance. This work demonstrates that these "macular pigment mice" may serve as animal models to study carotenoid function in the retina. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Baseline Tumor Growth and Immune Control in Laboraotry Mice are Significantly Influenced by Sub-Thermoneutral Housing Temperature

EPA Science Inventory

We show here that fundamental aspects of antitumor immunity in mice are significantly influenced by ambient housing temperature. Standard housing temperature for laboratory mice in research facilities is mandated to be between 20-26 •c; however, these subthermoneutral temperature...

Measuring behavior in mice with chronic stress depression paradigm.

PubMed

Strekalova, Tatyana; Steinbusch, Harry W M

2010-03-17

Many studies with chronic stress, a common depression paradigm, lead to inconsistent behavioral results. We are introducing a new model of stress-induced anhedonia, which provides more reproducible induction and behavioral measuring of depressive-like phenotype in mice. First, a 4-week stress procedure induces anhedonia, defined by decreased sucrose preference, in the majority of but not all C57BL/6 mice. The remaining 30-50% non-anhedonic animals are used as an internal control for stress effects that are unrelated to anhedonia. Next, a modified sucrose test enables the detection of inter-individual differences in mice. Moreover, testing under dimmed lighting precludes behavioral artifacts caused by hyperlocomotion, a major confounding factor in stressed mice. Finally, moderation of the stress load increases the reproducibility of anhedonia induction, which otherwise is difficult to provide because of inter-batch variability in laboratory mice. We believe that our new mouse model overcomes some major difficulties in measuring behavior with chronic stress depression models. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The effect of carbon dioxide flow rate on the euthanasia of laboratory mice.

PubMed

Moody, C M; Chua, B; Weary, D M

2014-10-01

Laboratory rodents are commonly euthanized by exposure to gradually increasing concentrations of carbon dioxide (CO2). Current recommended flow rates range between 10 and 30% chamber vol/min and result in insensibility before exposure to painful concentrations (<40%). However, this method causes dyspnea, indicated by deep, rapid breathing. In humans dyspnea is associated with a negative affective experience. Sensations of dyspnea may explain why rodents find CO2 concentrations >3% aversive. This study aimed to assess the effect of CO2 flow rates on time between the onset of dyspnea and various measures of insensibility (recumbency, loss of the righting reflex and loss of the pedal withdrawal reflex) to identify flow rates that minimize the potential experience of dyspnea. The results of this study indicate that a flow rate of 50% chamber vol/min, while holding the CO2 cage concentration just below 40%, minimizes the interval between the onset of labored breathing and recumbency. Using a 50% flow rate this interval averaged (± SE) 30.3 ± 2.9 s versus 49.7 ± 2.9 s at 20% chamber vol/min (F3,22 = 7.83, P = 0.0013). Similarly, the interval between the onset of labored breathing and loss of the righting reflex averaged 38.2 ± 2.4 s at a flow rate of 50% versus 59.2 ± 2.4 s at 20% chamber vol/min of CO2 (F3,22 = 13.62, P < 0.0001). We conclude that higher flow rates reduce the duration of dyspnea, but even at the highest flow rate mice experience more than 30 s between the onset of dyspnea and the most conservative estimate of insensibility. © The Author(s) 2014 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

Sexual selection and the rodent baculum: an intraspecific study in the house mouse (Mus musculus domesticus).

PubMed

Ramm, Steven A; Khoo, Lin; Stockley, Paula

2010-01-01

The rapid divergence of genitalia is a pervasive trend in animal evolution, thought to be due to the action of sexual selection. To test predictions from the sexual selection hypothesis, we here report data on the allometry, variation, plasticity and condition dependence of baculum morphology in the house mouse (Mus musculus domesticus). We find that that baculum size: (a) exhibits no consistent pattern of allometric scaling (baculum size being in most cases unrelated to body size), (b) exhibits low to moderate levels of phenotypic variation, (c) does not exhibit phenotypic plasticity in response to differences in perceived levels of sexual competition and (d) exhibits limited evidence of condition dependence. These patterns provide only limited evidence in support of the sexual selection hypothesis, and no consistent support for any particular sexual selection mechanism; however, more direct measures of how genital morphology influences male fertilization success are required.

Using the Mouse Grimace Scale to Reevaluate the Efficacy of Postoperative Analgesics in Laboratory Mice

PubMed Central

Matsumiya, Lynn C; Sorge, Robert E; Sotocinal, Susana G; Tabaka, John M; Wieskopf, Jeffrey S; Zaloum, Austin; King, Oliver D; Mogil, Jeffrey S

2012-01-01

Postoperative pain management in animals is complicated greatly by the inability to recognize pain. As a result, the choice of analgesics and their doses has been based on extrapolation from greatly differing pain models or the use of measures with unclear relevance to pain. We recently developed the Mouse Grimace Scale (MGS), a facial-expression–based pain coding system adapted directly from scales used in nonverbal human populations. The MGS has shown to be a reliable, highly accurate measure of spontaneous pain of moderate duration, and therefore is particularly useful in the quantification of postoperative pain. In the present study, we quantified the relative intensity and duration of postoperative pain after a sham ventral ovariectomy (laparotomy) in outbred mice. In addition, we compiled dose–response data for 4 commonly used analgesics: buprenorphine, carprofen, ketoprofen, and acetaminophen. We found that postoperative pain in mice, as defined by facial grimacing, lasts for 36 to 48 h, and appears to show relative exacerbation during the early dark (active) photophase. We find that buprenorphine was highly effective in inhibiting postoperative pain-induced facial grimacing in mice at doses equal to or lower than current recommendations, that carprofen and ketoprofen are effective only at doses markedly higher than those currently recommended, and that acetaminophen was ineffective at any dose used. We suggest the revision of practices for postoperative pain management in mice in light of these findings. PMID:22330867

Analysis of Adult Female Mouse (Mus musculus) Group Behavior on the International Space Station (ISS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Solomides, P.; Moyer, E. L.; Talyansky, Y.; Choi, S.; Gong, C.; Globus, R. K.; Ronca, A. E.

2016-01-01

As interest in long duration effects of space habitation increases, understanding the behavior of model organisms living within the habitats engineered to fly them is vital for designing, validating, and interpreting future spaceflight studies. A handful of papers have previously reported behavior of mice and rats in the weightless environment of space. The Rodent Research Hardware and Operations Validation (Rodent Research-1; RR1) utilized the Rodent Habitat (RH) developed at NASA Ames Research Center to fly mice on the ISS (International Space Station). Ten adult (16-week-old) female C57BL/6 mice were launched on September 21st, 2014 in an unmanned Dragon Capsule, and spent 37 days in microgravity. Here we report group behavioral phenotypes of the RR1 Flight (FLT) and environment-matched Ground Control (GC) mice in the Rodent Habitat (RH) during this long-duration flight. Video was recorded for 33 days on the ISS, permitting daily assessments of overall health and well-being of the mice, and providing a valuable repository for detailed behavioral analysis. We previously reported that, as compared to GC mice, RR1 FLT mice exhibited the same range of behaviors, including eating, drinking, exploration, self- and allo-grooming, and social interactions at similar or greater levels of occurrence. Overall activity was greater in FLT as compared to GC mice, with spontaneous ambulatory behavior, including organized 'circling' or 'race-tracking' behavior that emerged within the first few days of flight following a common developmental sequence, and comprised the primary dark cycle activity persisting throughout the remainder of the experiment. Participation by individual mice increased dramatically over the course of the flight. Here we present a detailed analysis of 'race-tracking' behavior in which we quantified: (1) Complete lap rotations by individual mice; (2) Numbers of collisions between circling mice; (3) Lap directionality; and (4) Recruitment of mice into a group

The Sycp1 loci of the mouse genome: successive retropositions of a meiotic gene during the recent evolution of the genus.

PubMed

Sage, J; Yuan, L; Martin, L; Mattei, M G; Guénet, J L; Liu, J G; Hoög, C; Rassoulzadegan, M; Cuzin, F

1997-08-15

The murine Sycp1 gene is expressed at the early stages of meiosis. We show that it is composed of a number of small exons and localized on mouse chromosome 3. In the laboratory strains, two retrogenes were also identified. The first one (Sycp1-ps1), on chromosome 7, has accumulated point mutations and deletions and is not transcribed. A second retrogene (Sycp1-ps2), on chromosome 8, is inserted within the continuity of a moderately repeated element, in an intron of another gene (Cad11). The two retroposition events can be dated to distinct periods in the evolution of the Muridae. Sycp1-ps2 has kept features indicative of a relatively recent origin, namely a nearly intact coding region, a poly(A) tail, and 14-bp terminal repeats. Its recent origin was confirmed by the fact that it is found in all the laboratory strains of mice, but neither in a recent isolate from Mus musculus domesticus wild stocks nor in the closely related subspecies M. musculus musculus, M. m. molossinus, M. m. castaneus, and M. m. bactrianus. Appearance of the more ancient Sycp1-ps1 retrogene is concomitant with the radiation of the genus. It is present in various Mus species (M. spretus, M. spicilegus, M. macedonicus, and M. cookii), but neither in the rat nor in the more closely related Pyromis genus. Transposition of retrotranscripts during meiosis and their hereditary establishment thus appear to occur relatively frequently. They may, therefore, play a significant role in the evolutionary process.

Development of a broadly reactive nested reverse transcription-PCR assay to detect murine noroviruses, and investigation of the prevalence of murine noroviruses in laboratory mice in Japan.

PubMed

Kitajima, Masaaki; Oka, Tomoichiro; Tohya, Yukinobu; Katayama, Hiroyuki; Takeda, Naokazu; Katayama, Kazuhiko

2009-09-01

A broadly reactive nested RT-PCR assay to detect MNV was developed and subsequently used to investigate the prevalence of MNV in laboratory mice in Japan. MNV were detected in 8 (22%) of 37 murine stool specimens by second-round PCR, although no positive band was obtained from any specimen by first-round PCR. Genetic analysis of the second round PCR products showed that MNV sequences detected in this study were closely matched (97.2 approximately 99.1%) to that of MNV-3 (DQ223042). This is the first report demonstrating the prevalence of MNV in Japan.

Advanced age-related denervation and fiber-type grouping in skeletal muscle of SOD1 knockout mice.

PubMed

Kostrominova, Tatiana Y

2010-11-30

In this study skeletal muscles from 1.5- and 10-month-old Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD1) homozygous knockout (JLSod1(-/-)) mice obtained from The Jackson Laboratory (C57Bl6/129SvEv background) were compared with muscles from age- and sex-matched heterozygous (JLSod1(+/-)) littermates. The results of this study were compared with previously published data on two different strains of Sod1(-/-) mice: one from Dr. Epstein's laboratory (ELSod1(-/-); C57Bl6 background) and the other from Cephalon, Inc. (CSod1(-/-); 129/CD-1 background). Grouping of succinate dehydrogenase-positive fibers characterized muscles of Sod1(-/-) mice from all three strains. The 10-month-old Sod1(-/-)C and JL mice displayed pronounced denervation of the gastrocnemius muscle, whereas the ELSod1(-/-) mice displayed a small degree of denervation at this age, but developed accelerated age-related denervation later on. Denervation markers were up-regulated in skeletal muscle of 10-month-old JLSod1(-/-) mice. This study is the first to show that metallothionein mRNA and protein expression was up-regulated in the skeletal muscle of 10-month-old JLSod1(-/-) mice and was mostly localized to the small atrophic muscle fibers. In conclusion, all three strains of Sod1(-/-) mice develop accelerated age-related muscle denervation, but the genetic background has significant influence on the progress of denervation. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Manual versus automated blood sampling: impact of repeated blood sampling on stress parameters and behavior in male NMRI mice

PubMed Central

Kalliokoski, Otto; Sørensen, Dorte B; Hau, Jann; Abelson, Klas S P

2014-01-01

Facial vein (cheek blood) and caudal vein (tail blood) phlebotomy are two commonly used techniques for obtaining blood samples from laboratory mice, while automated blood sampling through a permanent catheter is a relatively new technique in mice. The present study compared physiological parameters, glucocorticoid dynamics as well as the behavior of mice sampled repeatedly for 24 h by cheek blood, tail blood or automated blood sampling from the carotid artery. Mice subjected to cheek blood sampling lost significantly more body weight, had elevated levels of plasma corticosterone, excreted more fecal corticosterone metabolites, and expressed more anxious behavior than did the mice of the other groups. Plasma corticosterone levels of mice subjected to tail blood sampling were also elevated, although less significantly. Mice subjected to automated blood sampling were less affected with regard to the parameters measured, and expressed less anxious behavior. We conclude that repeated blood sampling by automated blood sampling and from the tail vein is less stressful than cheek blood sampling. The choice between automated blood sampling and tail blood sampling should be based on the study requirements, the resources of the laboratory and skills of the staff. PMID:24958546

Curing color blindness--mice and nonhuman primates.

PubMed

Neitz, Maureen; Neitz, Jay

2014-08-21

It has been possible to use viral-mediated gene therapy to transform dichromatic (red-green color-blind) primates to trichromatic. Even though the third cone type was added after the end of developmental critical periods, treated animals acquired red-green color vision. What happened in the treated animals may represent a recapitulation of the evolution of trichromacy, which seems to have evolved with the acquisition of a third cone type without the need for subsequent modification to the circuitry. Some transgenic mice in which a third cone type was added also acquired trichromacy. However, compared with treated primates, red-green color vision in mice is poor, indicating large differences between mice and monkeys in their ability to take advantage of the new input. These results have implications for understanding the limits and opportunities for using gene therapy to treat vision disorders caused by defects in cone function. Copyright © 2014 Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press; all rights reserved.

Identification and Sequencing of a Novel Rodent Gammaherpesvirus That Establishes Acute and Latent Infection in Laboratory Mice ▿

PubMed Central

Loh, Joy; Zhao, Guoyan; Nelson, Christopher A.; Coder, Penny; Droit, Lindsay; Handley, Scott A.; Johnson, L. Steven; Vachharajani, Punit; Guzman, Hilda; Tesh, Robert B.; Wang, David; Fremont, Daved H.; Virgin, Herbert W.

2011-01-01

Gammaherpesviruses encode numerous immunomodulatory molecules that contribute to their ability to evade the host immune response and establish persistent, lifelong infections. As the human gammaherpesviruses are strictly species specific, small animal models of gammaherpesvirus infection, such as murine gammaherpesvirus 68 (γHV68) infection, are important for studying the roles of gammaherpesvirus immune evasion genes in in vivo infection and pathogenesis. We report here the genome sequence and characterization of a novel rodent gammaherpesvirus, designated rodent herpesvirus Peru (RHVP), that shares conserved genes and genome organization with γHV68 and the primate gammaherpesviruses but is phylogenetically distinct from γHV68. RHVP establishes acute and latent infection in laboratory mice. Additionally, RHVP contains multiple open reading frames (ORFs) not present in γHV68 that have sequence similarity to primate gammaherpesvirus immunomodulatory genes or cellular genes. These include ORFs with similarity to major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC-I), C-type lectins, and the mouse mammary tumor virus and herpesvirus saimiri superantigens. As these ORFs may function as immunomodulatory or virulence factors, RHVP presents new opportunities for the study of mechanisms of immune evasion by gammaherpesviruses. PMID:21209105

Modeling asthma: Pitfalls, promises, and the road ahead.

PubMed

Rosenberg, Helene F; Druey, Kirk M

2018-02-16

Asthma is a chronic, heterogeneous, and recurring inflammatory disease of the lower airways, with exacerbations that feature airway inflammation and bronchial hyperresponsiveness. Asthma has been modeled extensively via disease induction in both wild-type and genetically manipulated laboratory mice (Mus musculus). Antigen sensitization and challenge strategies have reproduced numerous important features of airway inflammation characteristic of human asthma, notably the critical roles of type 2 T helper cell cytokines. Recent models of disease induction have advanced to include physiologic aeroallergens with prolonged respiratory challenge without systemic sensitization; others incorporate tobacco, respiratory viruses, or bacteria as exacerbants. Nonetheless, differences in lung size, structure, and physiologic responses limit the degree to which airway dynamics measured in mice can be compared to human subjects. Other rodent allergic airways models, including those featuring the guinea pig (Cavia porcellus) might be considered for lung function studies. Finally, domestic cats (Feline catus) and horses (Equus caballus) develop spontaneous obstructive airway disorders with clinical and pathologic features that parallel human asthma. Information on pathogenesis and treatment of these disorders is an important resource. ©2018 Society for Leukocyte Biology.

Evaluation of the laboratory mouse model for screening topical mosquito repellents.

PubMed

Rutledge, L C; Gupta, R K; Wirtz, R A; Buescher, M D

1994-12-01

Eight commercial repellents were tested against Aedes aegypti 0 and 4 h after application in serial dilution to volunteers and laboratory mice. Results were analyzed by multiple regression of percentage of biting (probit scale) on dose (logarithmic scale) and time. Empirical correction terms for conversion of values obtained in tests on mice to values expected in tests on human volunteers were calculated from data obtained on 4 repellents and evaluated with data obtained on 4 others. Corrected values from tests on mice did not differ significantly from values obtained in tests on volunteers. Test materials used in the study were dimethyl phthalate, butopyronoxyl, butoxy polypropylene glycol, MGK Repellent 11, deet, ethyl hexanediol, Citronyl, and dibutyl phthalate.

ISOLATION OF TOXOPLASMA GONDII FROM ANIMALS IN DURANGO, MEXICO

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Little is known concerning the epidemiology of Toxoplasma gondii infection in people and animals in rural Mexico. Serum samples and tissues from 150 dogs, 150 cats, 65 opossums (Didelphis virginianus), 249 rats (Rattus spp.), 127 mice (Mus musculus), and 69 squirrels (Spermophilus variegatus) from t...

Vertical transmission of Orientia tsutsugamushi in two lines of naturally infected Leptotrombidium deliense (Acari: Trombiculidae).

PubMed

Frances, S P; Watcharapichat, P; Phulsuksombati, D

2001-01-01

Vertical transmission of Orientia tsutsugamushi (Hayashi), the etiologic agent for scrub typhus, was studied in two lines of naturally infected Leptotrombidium deliense Walch. In one line of mites originating from a single adult (V3M), the rate of filial transmission was 100% for the first two laboratory generations, but declined to 86.6% in the third laboratory generation. The vertical infection rate in this line of mites was 100% for the parental generation, but declined to 95.6% for the F1 generation and 88.6% for F2. The transmission of O. tsutsugamushi in another line of L. deliense (V3F) was less efficient than mites originating from V3M. In the initial laboratory generation of V3F a filial transmission rate of 100% was recorded. However, none of the F2 generation of this line transmitted rickettsiae to mice (Mus musculus L.), resulting in a filial transmission rate of 0%. Transmission of O. tsutsugamushi to mice by progeny from cohort larvae originally from the same adult (V3F) was also studied in the laboratory and these were found to be relatively poor transmitters of rickettsiae. The filial infection rate of F2 larvae was 60%, F3 was 88.8%, and F4 was 55.9%. The biology of infected L. deliense was studied and compared with uninfected mites reared under the same laboratory conditions. The results showed that infected female L. deliense laid approximately the same or more eggs as uninfected adults. The rate of development of the progeny of infected L. deliense was not significantly different from uninfected mites.

Progress of MICE RFCC Module

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Li, D.; Bowring, D.; DeMello, A.

2012-05-20

Recent progress on the design and fabrication of the RFCC (RF and superconducting Coupling Coil) module for the international MICE (Muon Ionization Cooling Experiment) are reported. The MICE ionization cooling channel has two RFCC modules, each having four 201- MHz normal conducting RF cavities surrounded by one superconducting coupling coil (solenoid) magnet. The magnet is designed to be cooled by three cryocoolers. Fabrication of the RF cavities is complete; preparation for the cavity electro-polishing, low power RF measurements, and tuning are in progress at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL). Fabrication of the cold mass of the first coupling coil magnetmore » has been completed in China and the cold mass arrived at LBNL in late 2011. Preparations for testing the cold mass are currently under way at Fermilab. Plans for the RFCC module assembly and integration are being developed and are described.« less

Body Weight Changes of Laboratory Animals during Transportation

PubMed Central

Lee, Sunghak; Nam, Hyunsik; Kim, Jinsung; Cho, Hyejung; Jang, Yumi; Lee, Eunjung; Choi, Eunsung; Jin, Dong Il; Moon, Hongsik

2012-01-01

The majority of laboratory animals were transported from commercial breeders to a research facility by ground transportation. During the transportation, many biological functions and systems can be affected by stress. In this experiment, the change of body weight during the transportation was measured and the recovery periods from the transportation stress established based on the body weight changes. Total 676 laboratory animals which were aged between 3 to 9 wk old were studied. The transportation time taken from container packing to unpacking the container was approximately 24 h. The temperature of animal container was constantly maintained by air-conditioning and heating equipment. Rats were found to be more sensitive than mice. The body weight of rats was significantly decreased 3.71% (p<0.05) compared to the body weight of mice which decreased 0.9% There was no significant difference between the strains in the same species. When the changes of body weights were compared between delivery days, C57BL/6 mice showed the most variable changes compared to other species and strains. Consequently, C57BL/6 was more sensitive to stress than the other strains and the transportation process needs to be standardized to reduce between day variability. To establish the recovery periods from transportation stress, the body weight changes were measured during the acclimation period. Although the body weight of animals decreased during transportation, animals recovered their weight loss after the next day. PMID:25049564

ENHANCED PRODUCTION OF CRYPTOSPORIDIUM PARVUM OOCYSTS IN IMMUNOSUPPRESSED MICE

EPA Science Inventory

Recently there has been an increase in the need for fresh C. parvum oocysts for engineering and biomedical research applications. In our laboratory the emphsis has shifted from the use of dairy calves to inbred C57BL/67n mice, primarily for reasons of ease of collection and proce...

Habitat use and demography of Mus musculus in a rural landscape of Argentina.

PubMed

León, Vanina A; Fraschina, Jimena; Guidobono, Juan S; Busch, Maria

2013-04-01

The main goal of the paper was to determine the habitat distribution of the house mouse (Mus musculus) within a rural landscape of Buenos Aires province, Argentina. We also studied the seasonal variation in abundance and reproductive activity. The habitats studied were poultry farms, human houses in a small village, cropfields, pastures, cropfield and pasture edges, riparian habitats (streams), railway embankments and woodlots. We captured 817 M. musculus and 690 individuals of 5 native rodent species. M. musculus was captured in poultry farms, houses, riparian habitats, cropfield and borders, but it showed a significantly higher abundance in poultry farms compared to the other habitats. Its presence outside poultry farms was significantly related to the distance to streams and poultry farms. The mean trapping success index of M. musculus did not show significant variations between periods, but the proportion of active males was significantly higher in the spring-summer period than in the autumn-winter period. All captures of M. musculus in cropfields, borders and riparian habitats occurred in the spring-summer period. The capture of M. musculus in many types of habitats suggests that it can disperse outside poultry farms, and streams may be used as corridors. © 2012 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd, ISZS and IOZ/CAS.

Enhancement of Neuromuscular Activity by Natural Specimens and Cultured Mycelia of Cordyceps sinensis in Mice

PubMed Central

Singh, K. P.; Meena, H. S.; Negi, P. S.

2014-01-01

The present study was aimed to evaluate the effect of natural specimen and laboratory cultured mycelia of Cordyceps sinensis on neuromuscular activity in mice. The powder of natural specimen and laboratory cultured Cordyceps sinensis was orally administered at the dose rate of 100, 300 and 500 mg/kg for 30 days. Natural specimen and in vitro propagated Cordyceps sinensis showed significant (P<0.05) enhancement in neuromuscular endurance and antidepressant activity at 300 and 500 mg/kg as compared to the control group. However, the fungus did not proved to be as effective as fluoxetine in exhibiting antidepressant action. Muscular endurance was determined on a Rota rod apparatus while antidepressant (mood elevating) activity was measured on a photoactometer in Swiss albino mice. The effects produced by both natural specimens and laboratory cultured Cordyceps sinensis were comparable and showed almost equal potency. PMID:25425763

Enhancement of Neuromuscular Activity by Natural Specimens and Cultured Mycelia of Cordyceps sinensis in Mice.

PubMed

Singh, K P; Meena, H S; Negi, P S

2014-09-01

The present study was aimed to evaluate the effect of natural specimen and laboratory cultured mycelia of Cordyceps sinensis on neuromuscular activity in mice. The powder of natural specimen and laboratory cultured Cordyceps sinensis was orally administered at the dose rate of 100, 300 and 500 mg/kg for 30 days. Natural specimen and in vitro propagated Cordyceps sinensis showed significant (P<0.05) enhancement in neuromuscular endurance and antidepressant activity at 300 and 500 mg/kg as compared to the control group. However, the fungus did not proved to be as effective as fluoxetine in exhibiting antidepressant action. Muscular endurance was determined on a Rota rod apparatus while antidepressant (mood elevating) activity was measured on a photoactometer in Swiss albino mice. The effects produced by both natural specimens and laboratory cultured Cordyceps sinensis were comparable and showed almost equal potency.

The French Muséum national d'histoire naturelle vascular plant herbarium collection dataset

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Le Bras, Gwenaël; Pignal, Marc; Jeanson, Marc L.; Muller, Serge; Aupic, Cécile; Carré, Benoît; Flament, Grégoire; Gaudeul, Myriam; Gonçalves, Claudia; Invernón, Vanessa R.; Jabbour, Florian; Lerat, Elodie; Lowry, Porter P.; Offroy, Bérangère; Pimparé, Eva Pérez; Poncy, Odile; Rouhan, Germinal; Haevermans, Thomas

2017-02-01

We provide a quantitative description of the French national herbarium vascular plants collection dataset. Held at the Muséum national d'histoire naturelle, Paris, it currently comprises records for 5,400,000 specimens, representing 90% of the estimated total of specimens. Ninety nine percent of the specimen entries are linked to one or more images and 16% have field-collecting information available. This major botanical collection represents the results of over three centuries of exploration and study. The sources of the collection are global, with a strong representation for France, including overseas territories, and former French colonies. The compilation of this dataset was made possible through numerous national and international projects, the most important of which was linked to the renovation of the herbarium building. The vascular plant collection is actively expanding today, hence the continuous growth exhibited by the dataset, which can be fully accessed through the GBIF portal or the MNHN database portal (available at: https://science.mnhn.fr/institution/mnhn/collection/p/item/search/form). This dataset is a major source of data for systematics, global plants macroecological studies or conservation assessments.

The French Muséum national d'histoire naturelle vascular plant herbarium collection dataset.

PubMed

Le Bras, Gwenaël; Pignal, Marc; Jeanson, Marc L; Muller, Serge; Aupic, Cécile; Carré, Benoît; Flament, Grégoire; Gaudeul, Myriam; Gonçalves, Claudia; Invernón, Vanessa R; Jabbour, Florian; Lerat, Elodie; Lowry, Porter P; Offroy, Bérangère; Pimparé, Eva Pérez; Poncy, Odile; Rouhan, Germinal; Haevermans, Thomas

2017-02-14

We provide a quantitative description of the French national herbarium vascular plants collection dataset. Held at the Muséum national d'histoire naturelle, Paris, it currently comprises records for 5,400,000 specimens, representing 90% of the estimated total of specimens. Ninety nine percent of the specimen entries are linked to one or more images and 16% have field-collecting information available. This major botanical collection represents the results of over three centuries of exploration and study. The sources of the collection are global, with a strong representation for France, including overseas territories, and former French colonies. The compilation of this dataset was made possible through numerous national and international projects, the most important of which was linked to the renovation of the herbarium building. The vascular plant collection is actively expanding today, hence the continuous growth exhibited by the dataset, which can be fully accessed through the GBIF portal or the MNHN database portal (available at: https://science.mnhn.fr/institution/mnhn/collection/p/item/search/form). This dataset is a major source of data for systematics, global plants macroecological studies or conservation assessments.

MusA: Using Indoor Positioning and Navigation to Enhance Cultural Experiences in a Museum

PubMed Central

Rubino, Irene; Xhembulla, Jetmir; Martina, Andrea; Bottino, Andrea; Malnati, Giovanni

2013-01-01

In recent years there has been a growing interest in the use of multimedia mobile guides in museum environments. Mobile devices have the capabilities to detect the user context and to provide pieces of information suitable to help visitors discover and follow the logical and emotional connections that develop during the visit. In this scenario, location based services (LBS) currently represent an asset, and the choice of the technology to determine users' position, combined with the definition of methods that can effectively convey information, become key issues in the design process. In this work, we present Museum Assistant (MusA), a general framework for the development of multimedia interactive guides for mobile devices. Its main feature is a vision-based indoor positioning system that allows the provision of several LBS, from way-finding to the contextualized communication of cultural contents, aimed at providing a meaningful exploration of exhibits according to visitors' personal interest and curiosity. Starting from the thorough description of the system architecture, the article presents the implementation of two mobile guides, developed to respectively address adults and children, and discusses the evaluation of the user experience and the visitors' appreciation of these applications. PMID:24351645

MusA: using indoor positioning and navigation to enhance cultural experiences in a museum.

PubMed

Rubino, Irene; Xhembulla, Jetmir; Martina, Andrea; Bottino, Andrea; Malnati, Giovanni

2013-12-17

In recent years there has been a growing interest in the use of multimedia mobile guides in museum environments. Mobile devices have the capabilities to detect the user context and to provide pieces of information suitable to help visitors discover and follow the logical and emotional connections that develop during the visit. In this scenario, location based services (LBS) currently represent an asset, and the choice of the technology to determine users' position, combined with the definition of methods that can effectively convey information, become key issues in the design process. In this work, we present Museum Assistant (MusA), a general framework for the development of multimedia interactive guides for mobile devices. Its main feature is a vision-based indoor positioning system that allows the provision of several LBS, from way-finding to the contextualized communication of cultural contents, aimed at providing a meaningful exploration of exhibits according to visitors' personal interest and curiosity. Starting from the thorough description of the system architecture, the article presents the implementation of two mobile guides, developed to respectively address adults and children, and discusses the evaluation of the user experience and the visitors' appreciation of these applications.

The French Muséum national d’histoire naturelle vascular plant herbarium collection dataset

PubMed Central

Le Bras, Gwenaël; Pignal, Marc; Jeanson, Marc L.; Muller, Serge; Aupic, Cécile; Carré, Benoît; Flament, Grégoire; Gaudeul, Myriam; Gonçalves, Claudia; Invernón, Vanessa R.; Jabbour, Florian; Lerat, Elodie; Lowry, Porter P.; Offroy, Bérangère; Pimparé, Eva Pérez; Poncy, Odile; Rouhan, Germinal; Haevermans, Thomas

2017-01-01

We provide a quantitative description of the French national herbarium vascular plants collection dataset. Held at the Muséum national d’histoire naturelle, Paris, it currently comprises records for 5,400,000 specimens, representing 90% of the estimated total of specimens. Ninety nine percent of the specimen entries are linked to one or more images and 16% have field-collecting information available. This major botanical collection represents the results of over three centuries of exploration and study. The sources of the collection are global, with a strong representation for France, including overseas territories, and former French colonies. The compilation of this dataset was made possible through numerous national and international projects, the most important of which was linked to the renovation of the herbarium building. The vascular plant collection is actively expanding today, hence the continuous growth exhibited by the dataset, which can be fully accessed through the GBIF portal or the MNHN database portal (available at: https://science.mnhn.fr/institution/mnhn/collection/p/item/search/form). This dataset is a major source of data for systematics, global plants macroecological studies or conservation assessments. PMID:28195585

Unusual chromosomal organization of telomeric sequences and expeditious karyotypic differentiation in the recently evolved Mus terricolor complex.

PubMed

Sharma, G G; Sharma, T

1998-01-01

The Mus terricolor complex displays a stable homozygous arrangement of autosomal heterochromatin variations in the form of accretion of definitive autosomal short arms among three nonoverlapping populations, in concert with an expeditious evolutionary differentiation into three chromosomal species: M. terricolor I, II, and III. In contrast to the highly conservative M. musculus-like chromosomes in the coexisting sibling species, M. booduga, reshuffling and differentiation of centric heterochromatin has occurred in harmony with a revision of centric configurations, resulting in acrocentric and submetacentric autosomes. The chromosomal distribution of the prevalent vertebrate telomeric sequence (TTAGGG)n was examined by fluorescence in situ hybridization to metaphase cells of M. terricolor I, II, and III. An unusual centric organization of internal telomeric sequences was detected in all the submetacentric and acrocentric autosomes. An auxiliary role of these presumably fragile, recombinogenic telomeric sequences in the evolutionary revision of centric configurations in the terricolor complex is hypothesized.

Organ weight changes in mice after long-term inhalation exposure to manganese oxides nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zeman, T.; Buchtová, M.; Dočekal, B.; Míšek, I.; Navrátil, J.; Mikuška, P.; Šerý, O.; Večeřa, Z.

2015-05-01

Recently, it has been proven that manganese from inhaled particles of manganese compounds can accumulate in the internal organs of laboratory animals. Nevertheless, there were only a few researches dealing with changes in body morphology induced by inhalation of these particles, even though results of some studies indicate existence of such changes. The aim of our research was to assess the effect of inhaled manganese oxides nanoparticles on weight of internal organs. For this purpose a long-term inhalation experiment on laboratory mice was performed, during which the mice were exposed to MnO.Mn2O3 nanoparticles in concentration 2 × 106 particles/cm3 for 17 weeks, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Manganese oxides nanoparticles were synthesized continuously via aerosol route in a hot wall tube flow reactor using thermal decomposition of metal organic precursor manganese(II)acetylacetonate in the flow tube reactor at temperature 750 °C in the presence of 30 vol% of oxygen. It was proven that inhaled nanoparticles can influence the weight of internal organs of mice. Moreover, it was discovered that the resulting change in weight of selected organs is disproportional. The mice from the experimental group had statistically significantly lighter kidneys, liver and spleen and heavier pancreas compared to the mice from the control group.

Population dynamics of aberrant chromosome 1 in mice.

PubMed

Sabantsev, I; Spitsin, O; Agulnik, S; Ruvinsky, A

1993-05-01

Natural populations of two semispecies of house mouse, Mus musculus domesticus and M.m. musculus, were found to be polymorphic for an aberrant chromosome 1 bearing a large inserted block of homogeneously staining heterochromatin. Strong meiotic drive for the aberrant chromosome from M.m. musculus was previously observed in heterozygous female mice. There are at least three meiotic drive levels determined by different allelic variants of distorter. Homozygotes had low viability and females showed low fertility. Both homo- and heterozygous males had normal fertility and their segregation patterns did not deviate from normal. Computer simulations were performed of the dynamics of aberrant chromosome 1 in demes and populations. The data demonstrate that a spontaneous mutation (inversion) of an aberrant chromosome 1, once arisen, has a high probability of spreading in a population at high coefficients of meiotic drive and migration. In the long-term, the population attains a stationary state which is determined by the drive level and migration intensity. The state of stable genotypic equilibrium is independent of deme and population size, as well as of the initial concentration of the aberrant chromosome. As populations initially polymorphic for the distorters approach the stationary state, the stronger distorter is eliminated. The frequencies of the aberrant chromosome determined by computer analysis agree well with those obtained for the studied Asian M.m. musculus populations. The evolutionary pathways for the origin and fixation of the aberrant chromosome in natural populations are considered.

Repeatability of Mice Consumption Discrimination of Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) Varieties across Field Experiments and Mouse Cohorts.

PubMed

Kiszonas, Alecia M; Fuerst, E Patrick; Morris, Craig F

2015-07-01

Whole grain wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) foods can provide critical nutrients for health and nutrition in the human diet. Potential flavor differences among varieties can be examined using consumption discrimination of the house mouse (Mus musculus L.) as a model system. This study examines consistency and repeatability of the mouse model and potentially, wheat grain flavor. A single elimination tournament design was used to measure relative consumption preference for hard red spring and hard white spring varieties across all 3 experiments in combination with 2 mouse cohorts. Fifteen replicate mice were used in 24-h trials to examine differences in preference among paired wheat varieties until an overall "winner" was established as the most highly preferred variety of wheat. In all 3 experiment-cohort combinations, the same varieties were preferred as the "winner" of both the hard red spring and hard white spring wheat varieties, Hollis and BR 7030, respectively. Despite the consistent preference for these varieties across experiments, the degree (magnitude) to which the mice preferred these varieties varied across experiments. For the hard white spring wheat varieties, the small number of varieties and confounding effects of experiment and cohort limited our ability to accurately gauge repeatability. Conversely, for the hard red spring wheat varieties, consumption preferences were consistent across experiments and mice cohorts. The single-elimination tournament model was effective in providing repeatable results in an effort to more fully understand the mouse model system and possible flavor differences among wheat varieties. The mouse model system used here is effective in identifying wheat varieties that may be more or less desirable to humans in whole wheat foods. The system identifies consistent differences across different mouse cohorts and crop years. Published 2015. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

Pain Reduces Sexual Motivation in Female But Not Male Mice

PubMed Central

Farmer, Melissa A.; Leja, Alison; Foxen-Craft, Emily; Chan, Lindsey; MacIntyre, Leigh C.; Niaki, Tina; Chen, Mengsha; Mapplebeck, Josiane C.S.; Tabry, Vanessa; Topham, Lucas; Sukosd, Melissa; Binik, Yitzchak M.; Pfaus, James G.

2014-01-01

Chronic pain is often associated with sexual dysfunction, suggesting that pain can reduce libido. We find that inflammatory pain reduces sexual motivation, measured via mounting behavior and/or proximity in a paced mating paradigm, in female but not male laboratory mice. Pain was produced by injection of inflammogens zymosan A (0.5 mg/ml) or λ-carrageenan (2%) into genital or nongenital (hind paw, tail, cheek) regions. Sexual behavior was significantly reduced in female mice experiencing pain (in all combinations); male mice similarly treated displayed unimpeded sexual motivation. Pain-induced reductions in female sexual behavior were observed in the absence of sex differences in pain-related behavior, and could be rescued by the analgesic, pregabalin, and the libido-enhancing drugs, apomorphine and melanotan-II. These findings suggest that the well known context sensitivity of the human female libido can be explained by evolutionary rather than sociocultural factors, as female mice can be similarly affected. PMID:24760835

Demodex musculi Infestation in Genetically Immunomodulated Mice

PubMed Central

Smith, Peter C; Zeiss, Caroline J; Beck, Amanda P; Scholz, Jodi A

2016-01-01

Demodex musculi, a prostigmatid mite that has been reported infrequently in laboratory mice, has been identified with increasing frequency in contemporary colonies of immunodeficient mice. Here we describe 2 episodes of D. musculi infestation with associated clinical signs in various genetically engineered mouse strains, as well as treatment strategies and an investigation into transmissibility and host susceptibility. The first case involved D. musculi associated with clinical signs and pathologic lesions in BALB/c-Tg(DO11.10)Il13tm mice, which have a defect in type 2 helper T cell (Th2) immunity. Subsequent investigation revealed mite transmission to both parental strains (BALB/c-Tg[DO11.10] and BALB/c-Il13tm), BALB/c-Il13/Il4tm, and wild-type BALB/c. All Tg(DO11.10)Il13tm mice remained infested throughout the investigation, and D. musculi were recovered from all strains when they were cohoused with BALB/c-Tg(DO11.10)Il13tm index mice. However, only Il13tm and Il13/Il4tm mice demonstrated persistent infestation after index mice were removed. Only BALB/c-Tg(DO11.10)Il13tm showed clinical signs, suggesting that the phenotypic dysfunction of Th2 immunity is sufficient for persistent infestation, whereas clinical disease associated with D. musculi appears to be genotype-specific. This pattern was further exemplified in the second case, which involved NOD.Cg-PrkdcscidIl2rgtm1Wjl/SzJ (NSG) and C;129S4 Rag2tm1.1Flv Il2rgtm1.1Flv/J mice with varying degrees of blepharitis, conjunctivitis, and facial pruritis. Topical amitraz decreased mite burden but did not eliminate infestation or markedly ameliorate clinical signs. Furthermore, mite burden began to increase by 1 mo posttreatment, suggesting that topical amitraz is an ineffective treatment for D. musculi. These experiences illustrate the need for vigilance regarding opportunistic and uncommon pathogens in rodent colonies, especially among mice with immunologic deficits. PMID:27538858

Immunological aspects of Giardia muris and Spironucleus muris infections in inbred and outbred strains of laboratory mice: a comparative study.

PubMed

Brett, S J; Cox, F E

1982-08-01

The intestinal flagellates, Giardia muris and Spironucleus muris, cause similar infections in CBA mice as determined by trophozoite and cyst counts. Both parasites occur all along the small intestine with G. muris, being mainly present in the anterior part and S. muris towards the posterior. The early stages of infection are similar in all strains of mice examined and peak levels of both trophozoites and cysts occur 1-2 weeks after infection. All strains of mice overcome the infection but the rate of recovery varies considerably between strains, being most rapid in BALB/c and slowest in A and C57BL.B10. Outbred mice are more variable in their recovery than inbred mice. After recovery, mice are partially resistant to reinfection with the homologous but not the heterologous parasite. Resistance to reinfection with S. muris is greatest in those strains that eliminate the primary infection most rapidly. Giardia muris and S. muris cause similar changes in the mucosa of the small intestine of BALB/c mice with increased intra-epithelial lymphocyte counts from 3 weeks onwards corresponding with the start of the elimination of the parasites from the gut. A reduction in villus height and increase in crypt depth is also characteristic of these infections.

Paroxetine exposure skews litter sex ratios in mice suggesting a Trivers–Willard process

PubMed Central

Gaukler, Shannon Marie; Ruff, James Steven; Potts, Wayne K.

2016-01-01

While conducting a toxicity assessment of the antidepressant paroxetine (Paxil®), in wild-derived mice (Mus musculus), we observed that exposed dams (P0) produced female biased litters (32:68 M:F). Though numerous experimental manipulations have induced sex ratio bias in mice, none have assessed the fitness of the offspring from these litters relative to controls. Here, we retrospectively analyze experimentally derived fitness data gathered for the purpose of toxicological assessment in light of 2 leading hypothesis (Trivers–Willard hypothesis [TWH] and cost of reproduction hypothesis [CRH]), seeking to test if this facultative sex ratio adjustment fits into an adaptive framework. Control F1 males were heavier than F1 females, but no differences in mass were detected between exposed F1 males and females, suggesting that exposed dams did not save energy by producing fewer males, despite producing 29.2% lighter litters relative to controls. F1 offspring of both treatments were released into seminatural enclosures where fitness was quantified. In enclosures, the relative reproductive success of F1-exposed males (compared with controls) was reduced by ~20% compared with the relative reproductive success of F1-exposed females. Thus, exposed dams increased their fitness by adjusting litters toward females who were less negatively affected by the exposure than males. Collectively, these data provide less support that the observed sex ratio bias results in energetic savings (CRH), and more support for the TWH because fitness was increased by biasing litters toward female offspring. These mammalian data are unique in their ability to support the TWH through the use of relevant fitness data. PMID:27418753

Evaluation of Isoflurane Overdose for Euthanasia of Neonatal Mice.

PubMed

Seymour, Travis L; Nagamine, Claude M

2016-01-01

Neonatal mice (that is, pups younger than 6 d) must be exposed to CO2 for as long as 50 min to achieve euthanasia. Alternatively, other inhalant anesthetic agents have been used to euthanize laboratory rodent species. We investigated the efficacy of isoflurane at saturated vapor pressure to euthanize neonatal mice. Neonatal mice (n = 76; age, 1 or 2 d) were exposed to isoflurane in a sealed, quart-size (0.95-L) plastic bag at room temperature. Righting and withdrawal reflexes were absent in less than 2 min. After 30 min of exposure to isoflurane, pups were removed and monitored for recovery. All pups were cyanotic and showed no detectable signs of life when they were removed from the bag. However, after 30 to 120 min after removal from the bag, 24% of isoflurane-overexposed pups began gasping and then resumed normal respiration and regained a normal pink coloration. These results demonstrate that isoflurane overexposure at saturated vapor pressure for 30 min is insufficient to euthanize neonatal mice and that isoflurane overexposure must be followed by a secondary means of euthanasia.

Evaluation of Isoflurane Overdose for Euthanasia of Neonatal Mice

PubMed Central

Seymour, Travis L; Nagamine, Claude M

2016-01-01

Neonatal mice (that is, pups younger than 6 d) must be exposed to CO2 for as long as 50 min to achieve euthanasia. Alternatively, other inhalant anesthetic agents have been used to euthanize laboratory rodent species. We investigated the efficacy of isoflurane at saturated vapor pressure to euthanize neonatal mice. Neonatal mice (n = 76; age, 1 or 2 d) were exposed to isoflurane in a sealed, quart-size (0.95-L) plastic bag at room temperature. Righting and withdrawal reflexes were absent in less than 2 min. After 30 min of exposure to isoflurane, pups were removed and monitored for recovery. All pups were cyanotic and showed no detectable signs of life when they were removed from the bag. However, after 30 to 120 min after removal from the bag, 24% of isoflurane-overexposed pups began gasping and then resumed normal respiration and regained a normal pink coloration. These results demonstrate that isoflurane overexposure at saturated vapor pressure for 30 min is insufficient to euthanize neonatal mice and that isoflurane overexposure must be followed by a secondary means of euthanasia. PMID:27177567

Evolution and Variation of Renin Genes in Mice

PubMed Central

Dickinson, Douglas P.; Gross, Kenneth W.; Piccini, Nina; Wilson, Carol M.

1984-01-01

Inbred strains of mice carry Ren-1, a gene encoding the thermostable Renin-1 isozyme. Ren-1 is expressed at relatively low levels in mouse submandibular gland and kidney. Some strains also carry Ren-2, a gene encoding the thermolabile Renin-2 isozyme. Ren-2 is expressed at high levels in the mouse submandibular gland and at very low levels, if at all, in the kidney. Ren-1 and Ren-2 are closely linked on mouse chromosome 1, show extensive homology in coding and noncoding regions and provide a model for studying the regulation of gene expression. An investigation of renin genes and enzymatic activity in wild-derived mice identified several restriction site polymorphisms as well as putative variants in renin gene expression and protein structure. The number of renin genes carried by different subpopulations of wild-derived mice is consistent with the occurrence of a gene duplication event prior to the divergence of M. spretus (2.75–5.5 million yr ago). This conclusion is in agreement with a prior estimate based upon comparative sequence analysis of Ren-1 and Ren-2 from inbred laboratory mice. PMID:6389258

The cerebral network’s reconstruction by MRI methods and the hemodynamics study of small laboratory animal in type 1 diabetes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akulov, A.; Cherevko, A.; Parshin, D.; Tur, D.; Yankova, G.

2017-08-01

The blood realizes the transport of substances, which are necessary for livelihoods, throughout the body. The assumption about the relationship some disease and structure of vasculature (in particular of brain) is natural. In the paper we consider models of Willis’ circle for two groups of laboratory mice - one control group and another with diabetes. Vascular net obtained as a result of preprocessing MRI data. The purpose of the work is to determine the effect of type 1 diabetes on the properties of the laboratory mice vasculature.

Shotgun metabolomic approach based on mass spectrometry for hepatic mitochondria of mice under arsenic exposure.

PubMed

García-Sevillano, M A; García-Barrera, T; Navarro, F; Montero-Lobato, Z; Gómez-Ariza, J L

2015-04-01

Mass spectrometry (MS)-based toxicometabolomics requires analytical approaches for obtaining unbiased metabolic profiles. The present work explores the general application of direct infusion MS using a high mass resolution analyzer (a hybrid systems triple quadrupole-time-of-flight) and a complementary gas chromatography-MS analysis to mitochondria extracts from mouse hepatic cells, emphasizing on mitochondria isolation from hepatic cells with a commercial kit, sample treatment after cell lysis, comprehensive metabolomic analysis and pattern recognition from metabolic profiles. Finally, the metabolomic platform was successfully checked on a case-study based on the exposure experiment of mice Mus musculus to inorganic arsenic during 12 days. Endogenous metabolites alterations were recognized by partial least squares-discriminant analysis. Subsequently, metabolites were identified by combining MS/MS analysis and metabolomics databases. This work reports for the first time the effects of As-exposure on hepatic mitochondria metabolic pathways based on MS, and reveals disturbances in Krebs cycle, β-oxidation pathway, amino acids degradation and perturbations in creatine levels. This non-target analysis provides extensive metabolic information from mitochondrial organelle, which could be applied to toxicology, pharmacology and clinical studies.

Effects of housing density and cage floor space on C57BL/6J mice

USGS Publications Warehouse

Smith, A.L.; Mabus, S.L.; Stockwell, J.D.; Muir, C.

2004-01-01

The Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (the Guide) is widely accepted as the housing standard by most Institutional Animal Care and Use Committees. The recommendations are based on best professional judgment rather than experimental data. Current efforts are directed toward replacing these guidelines with data-driven, species-appropriate standards. Our studies were undertaken to determine the optimum housing density for C57BL/6J mice, the most commonly used inbred mouse strain. Four-week-old mice were housed for 8 weeks at four densities (the recommended ???12 in2 [ca. 77.4 cm 2]/mouse down to 5.6 in2 [ca. 36.1 cm2]/mouse) in three cage types with various amounts of floor space. Housing density did not affect a variety of physiologic parameters but did affect certain micro-environmental parameters, although these remained within accepted ranges. A second study was undertaken housing C57BL/6J mice with as little as 3.2 in2/mouse (ca. 20.6 cm2). The major effect was elevated ammonia concentrations that exceeded limits acceptable in the workplace at increased housing densities; however, the nasal passages and eyeballs of the mice remained microscopically normal. On the basis of these results, we conclude that C57BL/6J mice as large as 29 g may be housed with 5.6 in2 of floor space per mouse. This area is approximately half the floor space recommended in the Guide. The role of the Guide is to ensure that laboratory animals are well treated and housed in a species-appropriate manner. Our data suggest that current policies could be altered in order to provide the optimal habitation conditions matched to this species' social needs. Copyright 2004 by the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science.

Between and within laboratory reliability of mouse behaviour recorded in home-cage and open-field.

PubMed

Robinson, Lianne; Spruijt, Berry; Riedel, Gernot

2018-04-15

Reproducibility of behavioural findings between laboratories is difficult due to behaviour being sensitive to environmental factors and interactions with genetics. The objective of this study was to investigate reproducibility of behavioural data between laboratories using the PhenoTyper home cage observation system and within laboratory reproducibility using different lighting regimes. The ambulatory activity of C57BL/6 and DBA/2 mice was tested in PhenoTypers in two laboratories under near identical housing and testing conditions (Exp. 1). Additionally activity and anxiety were also assessed in the open-field test. Furthermore, testing in either a normal or inverted light/dark cycle was used to determine effects of lighting regime in a within-laboratory comparison in Aberdeen (Exp. 2). Using the PhenoTyper similar circadian rhythms were observed across laboratories. Higher levels of baseline and novelty-induced activity were evident in Aberdeen compared to Utrecht although strain differences were consistent between laboratories. Open field activity was also similar across laboratories whereas strain differences in anxiety were different. Within laboratory analysis of different lighting regimes revealed that behaviour of the mice was sensitive to changes in lighting. Utilisation of a home cage observation system facilitates the reproducibility of activity but not anxiety-related behaviours across laboratories by eliminating environmental factors known to influence reproducibility in standard behavioural tests. Standardisation of housing/test conditions resulted in reproducibility of home cage and open field activity but not anxiety-related phenotypes across laboratories with some behaviours more sensitive to environmental factors. Environmental factors include lighting and time of day. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Differential influence of social versus isolate housing on vicarious fear learning in adolescent mice.

PubMed

Panksepp, Jules B; Lahvis, Garet P

2016-04-01

Laboratory rodents can adopt the pain or fear of nearby conspecifics. This phenotype conceptually lies within the domain of empathy, a bio-psycho-social process through which individuals come to share each other's emotion. Using a model of cue-conditioned fear, we show here that the expression of vicarious fear varies with respect to whether mice are raised socially or in solitude during adolescence. The impact of the adolescent housing environment was selective: (a) vicarious fear was more influenced than directly acquired fear, (b) "long-term" (24-h postconditioning) vicarious fear memories were stronger than "short-term" (15-min postconditioning) memories in socially reared mice whereas the opposite was true for isolate mice, and (c) females were more fearful than males. Housing differences during adolescence did not alter the general mobility of mice or their vocal response to receiving the unconditioned stimulus. Previous work with this mouse model underscored a genetic influence on vicarious fear learning, and the present study complements these findings by elucidating an interaction between the adolescent social environment and vicarious experience. Collectively, these findings are relevant to developing models of empathy amenable to mechanistic exploitation in the laboratory. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Genomic landscapes of endogenous retroviruses unveil intricate genetics of conventional and genetically-engineered laboratory mouse strains.

PubMed

Lee, Kang-Hoon; Lim, Debora; Chiu, Sophia; Greenhalgh, David; Cho, Kiho

2016-04-01

Laboratory strains of mice, both conventional and genetically engineered, have been introduced as critical components of a broad range of studies investigating normal and disease biology. Currently, the genetic identity of laboratory mice is primarily confirmed by surveying polymorphisms in selected sets of "conventional" genes and/or microsatellites in the absence of a single completely sequenced mouse genome. First, we examined variations in the genomic landscapes of transposable repetitive elements, named the TREome, in conventional and genetically engineered mouse strains using murine leukemia virus-type endogenous retroviruses (MLV-ERVs) as a probe. A survey of the genomes from 56 conventional strains revealed strain-specific TREome landscapes, and certain families (e.g., C57BL) of strains were discernible with defined patterns. Interestingly, the TREome landscapes of C3H/HeJ (toll-like receptor-4 [TLR4] mutant) inbred mice were different from its control C3H/HeOuJ (TLR4 wild-type) strain. In addition, a CD14 knock-out strain had a distinct TREome landscape compared to its control/backcross C57BL/6J strain. Second, an examination of superantigen (SAg, a "TREome gene") coding sequences of mouse mammary tumor virus-type ERVs in the genomes of the 46 conventional strains revealed a high diversity, suggesting a potential role of SAgs in strain-specific immune phenotypes. The findings from this study indicate that unexplored and intricate genomic variations exist in laboratory mouse strains, both conventional and genetically engineered. The TREome-based high-resolution genetics surveillance system for laboratory mice would contribute to efficient study design with quality control and accurate data interpretation. This genetics system can be easily adapted to other species ranging from plants to humans. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cloning Mice.

PubMed

Ogura, Atsuo

2017-08-01

Viable and fertile mice can be generated by somatic nuclear transfer into enucleated oocytes, presumably because the transplanted somatic cell genome becomes reprogrammed by factors in the oocyte. The first somatic cloned offspring of mice were obtained by directly injecting donor nuclei into recipient enucleated oocytes. When this method is used (the so-called Honolulu method of somatic cell nuclear transfer [SCNT]), the donor nuclei readily and completely condense within the enucleated metaphase II-arrested oocytes, which contain high levels of M-phase-promoting factor (MPF). It is believed that the condensation of the donor chromosomes promotes complete reprogramming of the donor genome within the mouse oocytes. Another key to the success of mouse cloning is the use of blunt micropipettes attached to a piezo impact-driving micromanipulation device. This system saves a significant amount of time during the micromanipulation of oocytes and thus minimizes the loss of oocyte viability in vitro. For example, a group of 20 oocytes can be enucleated within 10 min by an experienced operator. This protocol is composed of seven parts: (1) preparing micropipettes, (2) setting up the enucleation and injection micropipettes, (3) collecting and enucleating oocytes, (4) preparing nucleus donor cells, (5) injecting donor nuclei, (6) activating embryos and culturing, and (7) transferring cloned embryos. © 2017 Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press.

A cellular, molecular, and pharmacological basis for appendage regeneration in mice.

PubMed

Leung, Thomas H; Snyder, Emily R; Liu, Yinghua; Wang, Jing; Kim, Seung K

2015-10-15