GROWTH OF MICE PRODUCED BY MALES WITH OR WITHOUT THE RAT GROWTH HORMONE TRANSGENE

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Abstract
Male mice with or without the rat growth hormone transgene were mated with females of three lines without the transgene to examine body weight of resulting crossbred progeny at 21 and 42 d of age. The F1 progeny of sires with the transgene were consistently 16% heavier (P < 0.01) in 42-d body weight than F1 progeny of sires without the transgene in the three dam lines. The former progeny were also significantly (P < 0.01) heavier than the latter at weaning at 21 d of age. Progeny from backcrossing to sires with the transgene were, on average, 17% heavier (P < 0.01) at 42-d than those from sires without the transgene. Thus, sires with the rat growth hormone gene increased body weight of progeny regardless of the genetic background of dams to which sires were mated, and effects of the sires with the gene were clear as early as at weaning of progeny. Key words: Transgene, mice, growth, adult weight