title: Maternal and pup genotype contribution to growth in wild-type and tau mutant Syrian hamsters.
abstract: The single gene mutation tau in the Syrian hamster-apart from its effect on the circadian organization of locomotor activity--has a pronounced influence on body weight. In this study we investigate the impact of maternal and pup genotypes at the tau-locus on the growth rate of pups. Homozygous tau mutant hamsters (circadian period of 20 hours) had lower growth rates and adult body weights than wild-type hamsters, whereas heterozygous tau mutants (circadian period of 22 hours) were intermediate. In addition, heterozygous pups from heterozygous dams grew heavier than those from wild-type and homozygous dams. The effect of maternal genotype was further evaluated in a cross-foster design, where wild-type and homozygous mutant pups were fostered at birth to either wild-type or homozygous mutant dams. At all ages, the maternal tau genotype had a negative effect on body weight, whereas the pup tau genotype had a positive effect during the preweaning period and a negative effect afterward.
authors.affiliation: Zoological Laboratory, University of Groningen, Haren, The Netherlands. m.oklejewicz@biol.rug.nl
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Oklejewicz
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Pen
authors.forename: G C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Durieux
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Daan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight / Q000235:genetics; D006224:Cricetinae; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006128:Growth / Q000235:genetics*; D006579:Heterozygote; D006720:Homozygote; D008297:Male; D008425:Maternal Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D008647:Mesocricetus / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development*