Two genetic loci control syllable sequences of ultrasonic courtship vocalizations in inbred mice.
BACKGROUND
The ultrasonic vocalizations (USV) of courting male mice are known to possess a phonetic structure with a complex combination of several syllables. The genetic mechanisms underlying the syllable sequence organization were investigated.


RESULTS
This study compared syllable sequence organization in two inbred strains of mice, 129S4/SvJae (129) and C57BL6J (B6), and demonstrated that they possessed two mutually exclusive phenotypes. The 129S4/SvJae (129) strain frequently exhibited a "chevron-wave" USV pattern, which was characterized by the repetition of chevron-type syllables. The C57BL/6J strain produced a "staccato" USV pattern, which was characterized by the repetition of short-type syllables. An F1 strain obtained by crossing the 129S4/SvJae and C57BL/6J strains produced only the staccato phenotype. The chevron-wave and staccato phenotypes reappeared in the F2 generations, following the Mendelian law of independent assortment.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that two genetic loci control the organization of syllable sequences. These loci were occupied by the staccato and chevron-wave alleles in the B6 and 129 mouse strains, respectively. Recombination of these alleles might lead to the diversity of USV patterns produced by mice.
Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon, 305-701, Korea.
Hansol
H
Choi
Saegeun
S
Park
Daesoo
D
Kim
D000818:Animals; D002874:Chromosome Mapping / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000502:physiology* / Q000528:radiation effects; D056726:Genetic Association Studies / Q000379:methods; D056426:Genetic Loci / Q000235:genetics* / Q000528:radiation effects; D007802:Language; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D057507:Mice, 129 Strain; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology* / Q000528:radiation effects; D013016:Sound; D013045:Species Specificity; D014828:Vocalization, Animal / Q000502:physiology* / Q000528:radiation effects