Certain inbred strains of mice (i.e., C57BL and C3H/2) appear to exhibit a preference for alcohol in free-choice consumption experiments, and a variety of techniques have been applied to assess underlying genetic predispositions. How might the analysis of such inbred strains provide insight into molecular mechanisms that drive such a behavior? Tarantino et al. (1998) applied QTL analysis to alcohol preference in mice using microsatellite markers. They found three significant QTLs on chromosomes 1, 4, and 9 and three suggestive QTLs on chromosomes 2, 3, and 10. How might QTL analysis lead to an understanding of alcohol preference in mice? Summarize the strengths and weaknesses of each approach.
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