Strain Name:
B6.Cg-ae/Mmmh
Stock Number:
000156-MU
Citation ID:
RRID:MMRRC_000156-MU
Major Collection:

Strain Information

ae
Name: nonagouti; extreme nonagouti
Type: Allele
Species: Mus musculus (mouse)
Chromosome: 2
Alteration at locus: Radiation Induced
a
Name: nonagouti
Synonyms: agouti, As, ASP, agouti signal protein
Type: Gene
Species: Mouse
Chromosome: 2
Alteration at locus: Radiation Induced
NCBI: 50518
HGNC: HGNC:745
Homologene: 1264
Genotype Determination
Phenotype
The agouti locus regulations the production of pheomelanin (yellow melanin pigment) versus eumelanin (nonyellow melanin pigment) in closely regulated patterns within individual hairs and over different areas of the body. The following description applies to C57BL/6J mice. Agouti (A/-) mice (MMRRC:000170) have non-yellow hairs banded or tipped with yellow. Nonagouti (a/a) mice (C57BL/6J, available at The Jackson Laboratory) have pheomelanin only around the mammae, the perineal area and behind the ears. Extreme nonagouti (ae/ae) mice (this strain) lack pheomelanic pigment. Agouti-mottled (am/am) mice (MMRRC:000154) are mottled in a chimeric pattern of agouti and nonagouti. Lethal-yellow (Ay/-) mice are pheomelanic with dorsal hairs very slightly tipped with eumelanin, and the allele is homozygous lethal due to failure of implantation. C57BL/6J-Ay/- mice are obese and diabetic, with associated disorders. Viable yellow (Avy/-) mice are mottled to varying degrees with yellow and agouti, in a chimeric pattern, and the allele is not lethal. The more yellow the mice, the more they are obese and diabetic.

Viable yellow mice are available on two classical inbred backgrounds, MMRRC:000375 and MMRRC:000138.

Agouti-locus alleles are expressed differently on the JU background. MMRRC:000155 are not mottled. MMRRC:000221 are very dark umbrous (dorsally eumelanic) after first molt. MMRRC:000137 mice are dilute (MyoVa,MyoVa), and genetically they are brown (Tyrp1b/Tyrp1b), as well as being genetically and phenotypically pheomelanic.

Mice mutant at the agouti locus offer a remarkably broad range of phenotypic attributes that have been and will in future be useful for the study of obesity, diabetes, and the mechanisms by which genes and their products interact to regulate phenotypes.
Mammalian Phenotype Terms
Allelic Composition: ae/ae (Genetic Background: (P x S)F1 )

Allelic Composition: ax/ae (Genetic Background: B6.Cg-ax )

  • integument
  • pigmentation
Allelic Composition: a16H/ae (Genetic Background: involves: 101/H * C3H/HeH * P * S )

MeSH Terms
  • Agouti Signaling Protein
  • Alleles
  • Animals
  • Base Sequence
  • Chromosome Inversion
  • Chromosome Mapping
  • DNA/genetics
  • Gene Expression Regulation
  • Genes, Recessive
  • Hair Color/genetics
  • Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
  • Lung Diseases, Interstitial/genetics
  • Lymphoproliferative Disorders/genetics
  • Male
  • Melanins/biosynthesis
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C3H
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Mutant Strains/genetics
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Mutagenesis
  • Phenotype
  • Proteins/genetics
  • RNA, Messenger/genetics
  • Transcription, Genetic
  • Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid
  • Genotype
  • Glycoproteins/genetics
  • Intramolecular Oxidoreductases/genetics
  • Melanins/chemistry
  • Melanins/genetics
  • Melanocytes/metabolism
  • Membrane Glycoproteins
  • Mice, Congenic
  • Mice, Mutant Strains
  • Models, Chemical
  • Monophenol Monooxygenase/genetics
  • Mutation
  • Oxidoreductases
  • Pigmentation/genetics
  • Receptors, Corticotropin/genetics
  • Receptors, Melanocortin
  • Spectrophotometry
  • Intramolecular Oxidoreductases
  • Isomerases/genetics
  • Isomerases/metabolism
  • Melanins/metabolism
  • Models, Biological
  • Molecular Weight
  • Monophenol Monooxygenase/metabolism
  • Proteins/metabolism
  • RNA, Messenger/metabolism
  • Skin/metabolism
Strain Development
Dr. Linda Siracusa backcrossed the ae allele onto C57BL/6J and transferred the mice to Dr. Lynn Lamoreux, who maintained them with intercross and occasional backcross for so that they need not be destroyed.
Suggested Control Mice
  • C57BL/6J
MMRRC Genetic QC Summary
The MMRRC Centers have developed a genetic QC pipeline using MiniMUGA array genotyping to provide additional information on strain backgrounds for MMRRC congenic and inbred strains. For more information on when data may be available, or to request genotyping for a strain of interest, please contact mmrrc@missouri.edu. Older strains may not have this information.
  • Mammalian Pigmentation
  • Developmental Biology
  • Gene Regulation
  • Signaling molecules
  • Pattern formation
Donor
Lynn Lamoreux, Ph.D., Texas A&M University
Primary Reference
  • Hustad CM, Perry WL, Siracusa LD, Rasberry C, Cobb L, Cattanach BM, Kovatch R, Copeland NG, Jenkins NA. Molecular genetic characterization of six recessive viable alleles of the mouse agouti locus. Genetics. 1995 May;140(1):255-65. (Medline PMID: 7635290)
  • Lamoreux ML, Wakamatsu K, Ito S. Interaction of major coat color gene functions in mice as studied by chemical analysis of eumelanin and pheomelanin. Pigment Cell Res. 2001 Feb;14(1):23-31. (Medline PMID: 11277491)
  • Lamoreux ML, Zhou BK, Rosemblat S, Orlow SJ. The pinkeyed-dilution protein and the eumelanin/pheomelanin switch: in support of a unifying hypothesis. Pigment Cell Res. 1995 Oct;8(5):263-70. (Medline PMID: 8789201)

Colony and Husbandry Information

Colony Surveillance Program and Current Health Reports

Mice recovered from a cryo-archive will have health surveillance performed on recipient females. Health reports will be provided prior to shipment. If you require additional health status information, please email mmrrc@missouri.edu.

Order Request Information

Limited quantities of breeder mice (recovered litter) are available from a cryoarchive; recovered litter usually available to ship in 3 to 4 months.

Cryopreserved material may be available upon request, please inquire to mmrrc@missouri.edu for more information.

Distribution of this strain requires submission of the MMRRC Conditions of Use (COU). A link to the COU web form will be provided via email after an order has been placed; the form should be completed then or the email forwarded to your institutional official for completion.

Additional charges may apply for any special requests. Shipping costs are in addition to the basic distribution/resuscitation fees. Information on shipping costs and any additional charges will be provided by the supplying MMRRC facility.

Click button to Request this one strain. (Use the MMRRC Catalog Search to request more than one strain.)
MMRRC Item # Description Distribution Fee / Unit (US $)
*Shipping & Handling not included*
Units Notes
000156-MU-EMBRYO Cryo-preserved embryos $1,038.00 / $2,621.00
Non-Profit / For-Profit
Aliquot Approximate quantity2 : 20-40 embryos / aliquot
000156-MU-SPERM Cryo-preserved spermatozoa $437.00 / $817.00
Non-Profit / For-Profit
Aliquot Approximate quantity3
000156-MU-RESUS Litter recovered from cryo-archive $2,016.00 / $4,103.00
Non-Profit / For-Profit
Litter Recovered litter4; additional fees for any special requests.

1 The distribution fee covers the expense of rederiving mice from a live mouse; you will receive the resulting litter. The litter will contain at minimum one mutant carrier; the actual number of animals and the gender and genotype ratios will vary. (Typically, multiple breeder pairs can be established from the recovered litter.) Prior to shipment, the MMRRC will provide information about the animals recovered. If you anticipate or find that you need to request specific genotypes, genders or quantities of mice in excess of what is likely from a resuscitated litter, you may discuss available options and pricing with the supplying MMRRC facility.

2 An aliquot contains a sufficient number of embryos (in one or more vials or straws and based on the transfer success rate of the MMRRC facility) to transfer into one to three recipients. The MMRRC makes no guarantee concerning embryo transfer success experienced in the recipient investigator's laboratory. Neither gender nor genotype ratios are guaranteed.

3 An aliquot is one straw or vial with sufficient sperm to recover at least one litter of mice, as per provided protocols, when performed at the MMRRC facility. The MMRRC makes no guarantee concerning the success of these procedures when performed outside the MMRRC facilities.

4 The distribution fee covers the expense of resuscitating mice from the cryo-archive; you will receive the resulting litter. The litter will contain at minimum one mutant carrier; the actual number of animals and the gender and genotype ratios will vary. (Typically, multiple breeder pairs can be established from the recovered litter.) Prior to shipment, the MMRRC will provide information about the animals recovered. If you anticipate or find that you need to request specific genotypes, genders or quantities of mice in excess of what is likely from a resuscitated litter, you may discuss available options and pricing with the supplying MMRRC facility.

To request material from the MMRRC: Please fill out our on-line request form (accessible from the catalog search results page, or click the Request this Strain button in the fees section). If you have questions or need assistance completing this form, you may call Customer Service at (800) 910-2291 (in USA or Canada) or (530) 757-5710 (international calls). Before you call, please have with you: the MMRRC item number, quantity needed, Bill-to and Ship-to contact information.