Scanning of five chromosomes for alcohol consumption loci

In our present genetic study to map Quantitative Trait Loci (QTLs) for alco hol-related behaviors, we used 44 B6.C and 36 B6.I inbred congenic Recombin ant QTL Introgression (RQI) mouse strains of the b5i7 series carrying genes of BALB/cJ (C) or CXBI (I) origin on C57BL/6ByJ (B6) genetic background. E thyl alcohol consumption (EAC) was measured in adult males, and chromosomes 1, 2, 3, 9, and 15 were scanned with polymorphic microsatellite markers. I n the B6.C set of strains,multiple regression analysis yielded a model with three microsatellite markers, which explained 32% of the genetic variance (p=0.0006). The two markers with the highest significance levels in the mod el, D1Mit167 and D2Mit74, have been mapped to chromosome regions close to t he gene opioid receptor kappa 1 (chr. 1) and opioid receptor kappa 3 (chr. 2), respectively. The results of this gene - mapping study suggest that gen etic polymorphisms in kappa opioid receptors may contribute to genetic pred isposition to voluntary alcohol-drinking behavior. (C) 2000 Elsevier Scienc e Inc. All rights reserved.