Genetics and ontogeny of aldehyde dehydrogenase isozymes in th mouse: evidence for a locus controlling the inducibility of the liver microsomal isozyme.

Variation in the inducibility of the liver microsomal isozyme of aldehyde dehydrogenase (designated AHD-Cy) by phenobarbital administration was observed among inbred strains an linkage testing stocks of Mus musculus. The phenotypes were inherited in a normal Mendelian fashion with two alleles showing codominance at a proposed regulatory locus (designated Ahd-3r). Strain variation was also observed for the induction of liver AHD-Cy by 17 -Beta-oestradiol administration to ovarectimized female mice. Moreover, this enzyme was elevated in activity by the administration of high (nonphysiological) levels of progesterone. Development studies showed that the liver and kidney AHD-Cy isozyme exhibited low activities in late-stage fetal and neonatal mice and reached adult levels by approximately 6 weeks of age.