Genetic survey exposes flaws in widely used mouse models #
A survey of more than 300 mouse strains has found widespread discrepancies between how mutant mice are reported and their actual genetic make-up. Half of laboratory mice do not match their reported genetics, according to a genetic analysis of strains distributed globally for animal research. The study, published in Science, analyzed genomes from hundreds of strains maintained by the Mutant Mouse Research and Resource Centers (MMRRC).
Key Highlights #
- Half of laboratory mice do not match their reported genetic makeup.
- Study analyzed genomes of hundreds of mouse strains from MMRRC repositories.
- Genetic inconsistencies risk misinterpreting disease mechanisms.
- Errors can emerge during gene transfer between mouse strains.
Statements #
This study is another wake-up call for biomedical research. If we don’t fully understand the genetics of the mice we’re using, we risk misinterpreting how diseases actually work.
- Daniel Rawle, immunologist at QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute
Twenty generations is a long time and a lot of money.
- Fernando Pardo-Manuel de Villena, mouse geneticist at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
About the Organizations #
Nature is a leading international weekly journal of science. Science publishes peer-reviewed research across scientific disciplines. MMRRC maintains live colonies of genetically engineered mouse strains.