Genetic control of metabolism: Heritability estimates of enzyme activities in random-bred mice.

Heritability estimates were determined in the random-bred Q population of mice for seven enzymes, liver weight and body weight. The estimates were calculated by son-on-father regression at 10 weeks of age by mating Q strain males to inbred CBA females. Instead of using all the fathers and sons to calculate the heritability, families of the highest and lowest fathers were chosen as suggested by Hill (1970). The heritability of body weight was in general agreement with previous published data (0.40). The estimate for liver weight was higher (0.71(*)) and liver alkaline phosphatase was significant (0.52(*)). The estimates for the other enzymes were not significantly different from zero (plasma alkaline phosphatase, -0.12; lactate dehydrogenase, -0.34; pyruvate kinase, 0.29; alcohol dehydrogenase, -0.10; hexokinase, -0.10; malate dehydrogenase, -0.20).