Genetic control of tryptophan hydroxylase activity in the mouse brain

Interstrain differences in tryptophan hydroxylase activity have been studied in the brain stem of 12 inbred strains of mice. The Mendelian analysis has been performed using BALB/c and C57BL/6J mice. The activity of tryptophan hydroxylase was shown to be controlled by a single gene having two alleles with additive effect. It was suggested that this gene controls either the structure of enzyme's molecule, or its amount in a nervous tissue.