The use of large scale behavioural batteries for the discovery of novel genes underlying
behavioural variation has considerable potential. Building a broad behavioural profile
serves to better understand the complex interplay of overlapping genetic factors contributing
to various paradigms, underpinning a systems biology approach. We devised a battery
of tests to dissect and characterise the genetic bases of behavioural phenotypes,
but firstly undertook to evaluate several aspects considered potentially confounding
for mapping quantitative traits. These included investigating: individual versus sibling
housing; testing at different times during the day; battery versus non-battery testing;
and initial placement within the light-dark box. Furthermore, we assessed how behavioural
profiles differed in our battery across 8 inbred strains. Overall, we found the behavioural
battery was most sensitive to paired-housing effects, where weight and some measures
in the open field, elevated plus maze and light-dark box differed significantly between
sibling housed and singly housed mice. Few large effects were found for testing at
different times of day and battery versus non-battery testing. Placement in the light-dark
box influenced activity and duration measures, which profoundly affected the analysis
outcome. Behavioural profiles across eight inbred strains (C57BL/6J, 129S1/SvImJ,
A/J, BALB/cByJ, C3H/HeJ, DBA/2J, FVB/NJ, and SJL/J) demonstrated some robust strain
ranking differences for measures in the open field and light-dark tests in our battery.
However, some tests such as the elevated plus maze produced incongruous strain ranking
effects across measures. The findings reported herein bear out the promise of behavioural
batteries for mapping naturally occurring variation in mouse reference populations.
Copyright (c) 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.