Confirmation of quantitative trait loci for alcohol preference in mice

An F-2 intercross derived from C57BL/6 and DBA/2 progenitor inbred strains was used to test for replication of quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for alcohol preference nominated by a previous study using BXD recombinant inbred (RI) strains (Rodriguez et al., Alcohol. Clin. Exp. Res. 19:367-379, 1995). Fourteen provisional QTLs were nominated in the original RI study with a p < 0.05 criterion. In the present study, a genome scan (101 microsatellite markers) was conducted on an F-2 population (n = 218). Three significant QTLs were detected on chromosomes 1, 4, and 9, and three suggestive QTLs were detected on chromosomes 2, 3, and 10. Of these six QTLs, four were consistent with the previous RI nominations. The replication rate of 28.6% (4 of 14) is in agreement with the results of simulation studies performed by Belknap et al. (Behav. Genet 26:149-160, 1996) and supports the methodological argument for a multistage research design for nominating and replicating QTLs.