COINCIDENCE OF GENETIC-LOCI FOR PLASMA-CHOLESTEROL LEVELS AND OBESITYIN A MULTIFACTORIAL MOUSE MODEL

We have examined backcross progeny derived from a cross of Mus spretus with C57BL / 6J, that range from 1 to 50% carcass lipid (n = 215), an d from 22 to 130 mg/dl plasma total cholesterol (n = 238). Statistical analysis revealed that distal mouse chromosome 7 exhibits significant linkage both to plasma total cholesterol (likelihood of the odds [LOD ] 5.8) and to carcass lipid (LOD 3.8). A locus on chromosome 6 also sh ows significant linkage to plasma total cholesterol (LOD 5.6), but no linkage to carcass lipid. Neither chromosomal region contains any prev iously mapped genes likely to influence lipoprotein metabolism, indica ting that novel genetic factors contributing to plasma lipoprotein lev els have been identified.