Genetic analysis of liver catalase activity in two substrains of C57BL mice

Abstract

The level of liver catalase activity in substrain C57BL/6 mice is only approximately half that in substrain C57BL/He. That this difference was due to a single major gene with low level of activity dominant to high was indicated by analysis of the F1, F2, and backcross hybrids and confirmed by progeny tests of first back-cross male segregants. The gene symbolCeis suggested.The absence of any difference between reciprocal hybrids indicated no extra-chromosomal maternal influence.There was no evidence that this gene controlling liver catalase had any influence on the level of kidney catalase activity for this did not vary between the two parent substrains or the hybrid groups.Males consistently had higher liver and kidney catalase activity than females. The difference was more pronounced in respect to kidney catalase, males having about twice the activity found in females.