PARTICIPATING CENTERS

Three mutagenesis and phenotypic screening facilities, focused on identifying alterations in nervous system function and behavior, were established by NIH. These three sites have come together as the Neuromice.org consortium to maintain and distribute the resources generated-the new lines of mutant mice. Although the consortium involves three sites, interested scientists are able to obtain information about mouse lines at all three sites in a single unified database.

The Neurogenomics Project at Northwestern University
The NIH Neurogenomics Project at Northwestern University is directed by Dr. Joseph S. Takahashi, who also acts as the Director of the Neuromice.org consortium. Chemical mutagenesis is used to induce mutations throughout the genome and combined with phenotypic screens to detect mice with mutations. In order to maximize the genomic coverage and recover both dominant and recessive mutations, a dominant G1 screen and a recessive G3 screen are utilized. Phenotypic screens focus on five primary domains: learning and memory, behavioral responses to stress, responses to psychostimulants, circadian rhythmicity, and vision. MORE...

The Neuroscience Mutagenesis Facility at The Jackson Laboratory
The Neuroscience Mutagenesis Facility at the Jackson Laboratory is directed by Dr. Wayne N. Frankel. The Neuroscience Mutagenesis Facility is using a three-generation backcross breeding scheme to produce homozygous mutants and will thus recover dominant, semidominant, and recessive mutations. In addition, some mutagenesis will be done in ES cells followed by two generations of breeding. Phenotypic screens focus on identifying mutations affecting: motor function, seizure threshold, hearing, vision, and neurodevelopment. MORE...

The Neuromutagenesis Project of the Tennessee Mouse Genome Consortium
The Neuromutagenesis Project of the Tennessee Mouse Genome Consortium (TMGC) involves researchers throughout the state of Tennessee, under the direction of Dr. Daniel Goldowitz, Ph.D., at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis. TMGC also includes researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Vanderbilt University, Meharry Medical College, University of Tennessee-Knoxville, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, and the University of Memphis. The Project is using regional mutagenesis, covering regions on chromosomes 10, 14, 15, 19, and X, thus including approximately 15% of the genome in the screened region. Phenotypic screens include: motor and sensory function, learning and memory, neurohistology, aging, alcohol response, abused drug response, visual function, and social behavior. MORE...