GENES FOR EPILEPSY MAPPED IN THE MOUSE

The neurological mutant mouse strain El is a model for complex partial seizures in humans. The inheritance of epileptic seizures with seven conventional chromosomal markers and over 60 endogenous proviral markers was studied by means of backcrosses of El with two seizure-resistant strains, DBA/2J and ABP/LeJ. The major gene responsible for this epileptic phenotype (El-1) was localized to a region distal with respect to the centromere on chromosome 9. At least one other gene, El-2, linked to proviral markers on chromosome 2, also influences the seizure phenotype. In addition, a potential modifier of seizures was detected in the DBA/2J background. The location of El-1 on distal chromosome 9 may allow identification of an epilepsy candidate gene in humans on the basis of conserved synteny with human chromosome 3.