A genetic screen for novel behavioral mutations in mice

A genetic screen using mice was performed to identify dominant loci affecting behavior. Mice were mutagenized with ENU, then bred to examine their G1 offspring for behavioral abnormalities. Potentially mutant G1 pups were screened through a variety of behavioral assays, including tests of learning and memory, sensorimotor gating, fear and anxiety, nociception (pain perception) and locomotor activity. Mice falling outside the normal performance distribution in these tests were considered potential behavioral mutants and were bred for further analysis. Outliers included both animals with very discrete defects and animals with abnormal performance across a range of tests. To date, we have identified two confirmed mutants affecting sensorimotor gating, These results provide further impetus for the use of random mutagenesis screens as a tool for dissecting the genetic basis of brain and behavior.