Association between fighting behavior and catecholamine biosynthetic enzyme activity in two inbred mouse sublines.
Levels of three adrenal catecholamine synthesizing enzymes and isolation-induced fighting behavior were studied in two related sublines of the Balb/c inbred mouse strain. Enzyme levels were twice as high in the adrenals of Balb/cJ mice as in those of the Balb/cN mice; heterozygous progeny were intermediate between their parents in the levels of the three enzymes. These sublines also showed marked differences in their fighting behavior after a 2-week isolation period. Balb/cJ mice fought immediately after presentation of an intruder mouse, while Balb/cN mice did not fight at any time during the test. Heterozygous progeny behaved more like the Balb/cN (non-fighters). Analysis of F(2) mice suggested that the differences in fighting behavior were determined by a single gene, with fighting being recessive.
D000311:Adrenal Glands / Q000201:enzymology; D000374:Aggression; D000818:Animals; D002395:Catecholamines / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D004299:Dopamine beta-Hydroxylase / Q000378:metabolism; D005808:Genes, Recessive; D005824:Genetics, Behavioral; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D006824:Hybridization, Genetic; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C / Q000378:metabolism*; D009043:Motor Activity; D010625:Phenylethanolamine N-Methyltransferase / Q000378:metabolism; D011930:Reaction Time; D013045:Species Specificity; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase / Q000378:metabolism
D002395:Catecholamines; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase; D004299:Dopamine beta-Hydroxylase; D010625:Phenylethanolamine N-Methyltransferase