title: Analyses of quantitative trait loci contributing to alcohol preference in HAD1/LAD1 and HAD2/LAD2 rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The high-alcohol-drinking (HAD1/HAD2) and low-alcohol-drinking (LAD1/LAD2) rat lines, derived from the N/NIH rat, were developed by using a within-family selection and rotational breeding design for alcohol preference and alcohol consumption. Previously, a 20-cM genome screen identified quantitative trait loci (QTLs) on chromosomes 5, 10, 12, and 16 by using F2 progeny from HAD1 and LAD1 animals.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 459 F2 HAD1 x LAD1 animals had been previously genotyped, and 428 HAD2 x LAD2 F2 animals were genotyped for microsatellite markers within the identified QTL regions. Linkage analyses were performed with the program QTL Express, a recently developed Web-based interface that implements a least-squares method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The linkage peaks previously identified in the HAD1 x LAD1 genome scan relied on one or two markers. Placement of additional markers in and around the QTL regions provided further support for each of the QTLs. Two of the QTLs on chromosomes 10 and 16 were confirmed in the replicate line; these QTLs exhibited linkage in both the HAD1/LAD1 and HAD2/LAD2 studies.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study demonstrated the importance of confirmation of QTLs in a replicate line, as well as the complexity of the genetic contribution to alcohol preference. Assessing these QTL regions in the inbred HAD/LAD animals will further facilitate characterization of these regions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis 46202, USA. lcarr@iupui.edu
authors.forename: Lucinda G
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Carr
authors.forename: Kirk
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Habegger
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Spence
authors.forename: Aimee
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ritchotte
authors.forename: Lixiang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Lawrence
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lumeng
authors.forename: Ting-Kai
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Tatiana
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Foroud
mesh_terms: D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000235:genetics*; D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D008126:Lod Score; D008297:Male; D040641:Quantitative Trait Loci / Q000235:genetics*; D051381:Rats; D013045:Species Specificity