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Updated: Jun 28, 2026
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Body Composition and Metabolic Caging Analysis in High Fat Fed Mice
Published on: May 24, 2018
Genetic influences on growth and body composition in mice: multilocus interactions
G A Ankra-Badu1, D Pomp, D Shriner
1Department of Biostatistics, Section on Statistical Genetics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA.
International Journal of Obesity (2005)
|November 5, 2008
Summary
Investigating gene-gene interactions in mice revealed new quantitative trait loci (QTL) influencing body weight and composition. Analyzing epistasis helps uncover complex obesity genetics and identify additional obesity genes.
Area of Science:
- Genetics
- Quantitative genetics
- Animal models
Background:
- Body weight and composition are complex traits influenced by multiple genes and their interactions.
- Bayesian methodology offers an efficient approach for estimating these genetic interactions.
- Understanding the genetic architecture of obesity-related traits is crucial for public health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To simultaneously estimate main effects, epistasis, and gene-sex interactions on body weight and composition in mice.
- To identify novel quantitative trait loci (QTL) associated with these traits using Bayesian model selection.
- To explore the genetic basis of complex obesity-related traits.
Main Methods:
- Utilized Bayesian model selection techniques on an F(2) mouse population derived from high-growth (M16i) and low-growth (L6) lines.
- Assessed age-related body weight (at 3, 6, and 10 weeks) and body composition phenotypes.
- Simultaneously estimated main genetic effects, epistatic interactions, and gene-sex interactions.
Main Results:
- Identified epistatic and main-effect QTL influencing both body weight and composition.
- Observed stronger epistatic effects for body weight at 6 weeks (WT6wk) compared to 10 weeks (WT10wk).
- Detected significant interactions between chromosomes 5 and 13 for early body weight and a pleiotropic QTL on chromosome 2.
Conclusions:
- Analysis of epistatic interactions revealed QTL missed in previous studies of this mouse population.
- The detection of gene-gene interactions provides new insights into the genetic architecture of complex obesity-related traits.
- This approach may lead to the identification of additional genes contributing to obesity.
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