HOMOZYGOTE wobbler mice develop motoneurone degeneration. Throughout d
evelopment the expression of choline acetyltransferase, of trkC recept
or and F3 adhesion molecule genes is similar in wobbler and wildtype s
pinal cord. Acetylcholinesterase mRNA level instead is decreased to ab
out 50% with respect to wild-type values in one forth of P5 and P10 wo
bbler progeny, putative wr/wr individuals; at P21 its expression is eq
ually highly reduced in known homozygotes and it is reduced to 35% of
normal values in about one half of the progeny, putative heterozygotes
. Thus, similarly to medium neurofilament gene over-expression, reduce
d acetylcholinesterase gene expression is an early molecular marker fo
r the wobbler mutation before onset of the illness.