Metabolic phenotyping of mouse mutants in the German Mouse Clinic

The German Mouse Clinic was established as a phenotyping center to provide the scientific community with systematic standardized phenotyping of mouse models from various genetic backgrounds. We found metabolic phenotypes in nine out of 20 mutant lines screened in a primary screen. Based on these findings, the mutants were analyzed in secondary and tertiary screens. Mice of a sample mutant line, isolated from the ENU-screen at the National Research Center for Environment and Health in Munich, were found to have lower body weight, consume less food, but have higher ratios of metabolized energy per unit body weight compared with their wild-type littermates. Basal metabolic rate and heat production were simultaneously increased by 16-18%, whereas body fat content was reduced by 11-16%. The combination of various parameters of energy consumption, expenditure and energy storage illustrate the metabolic demands of the sample mutant mouse line and demonstrate the utility of the powerful phenotyping tool used at the German Mouse Clinic.