We found a new X-linked dominant mouse mutation. This mouse has the sa
me phenotype as Td, which exhibits hyperkeratotic skin, reduced viabil
ity in affected females, a tendency to be smaller, lighter weight than
the normal sibs during weaning age, and prenatal lethality in affecte
d males. To map the locus, we tested 267 progeny from an intraspecific
backcross between affected females and wild-origin strain males. Poly
merase chain reaction (PCR) was performed with microsatellite markers
of the proximal region of the mouse X Chromosome (Chr). This mutant sh
owed no recombination with DXMit 123, DXMit 55, or DXMit 26. The gene
position and phenotype of this mutant were very similar to those of Td
. Therefore, it is speculated that the new mutant gene is a multiple a
llele of Td, and we designated it Tattered-Hokkaido (Td(ho)). Linkage
analysis of these animals suggested a possible gene order of cen-(Td(h
o), DXMit123, DXMit55, Mit161-DXMit54-DXMit103-DXMit52-DXMit190-DXMit1
38) in the X Chr. Prenatal lethality of male mutants was also investig
ated, with 12.5 to 16.5 embryonic day (E) backcrossed embryos from aff
ected F-1 females. It was found that the male mutants died between E12
.5 and E14.5. The cause of death of male mutants is discussed in relat
ion with the other proximal genes of the X Chr.