A Correlated Response Mediated Through a Maternal Effect in the House Mouse

Abstract

In a line of tabby (Ta) mice selected for high vibrissa score the frequency of the brown (b) gene has been steadily increasing. Brown mice do not have higher vibrissa scores, nor do they have higher viability or fertility. However, the Ta+ offspring of brown mothers have higher scores than those of black mothers, leading to selection of mice carrying the brown gene.