Abstract
Classical genetic analysis of a cross between the C57BL/6J and the C3H/21bg inbred strains was used to examine the relative amounts of additive genetic and dominance variance for traits associated with the cricadian rhythm of body temperature. Traits involved with the timing mechanism (amplitude, time of peak temperature, and degree to which lights-off was anticipated) exhibited substantial heritability and little dominance. The overall average body temperature had near-zero heritability and exhibited overdominance. We conclude that although the average body temperature appears to be fixed at a genetic maximum, it provides a simple index of rhythm parameters which are amenable to further genetic analysis which is critical to out understanding of factors contributing to the organization of rhythms and associated behaviors.
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This research was supported by National Institutes of Health Grant GM 21993. C.B.L. is the recipient of NIH Research Career Development Award ES 00042.
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Connolly, M.S., Lynch, C.B. Classical genetic analysis of circadian body temperature rhythms in mice. Behav Genet 13, 491–500 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01065924
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01065924