The Genetics and Evolution of the House Mice

House mice are important model organisms widely used in biological and medical research.Great progress has been made in the studies of genetics and evolution of the house mice in the past two decades.Genetic relationship and differentiation among different species and populations are more clearly revealed through biochemical and molecular studies.Taxomomy of the house mice has also been amended.It is now commonly accepted that the house mice (Mus musculus species complex) consisting of three or four commensal species (I.e.,M.domesticus,M.musculus,M.castaneus and M.bactrianus) and three aboriginal species (I.e.,M.spicilegus,M.macedonicus and M.spretus).There have been two model hypothesis proposed to account for the origin and radiation of the house mice,one is the centrifugal model and the other is the sequential model.However,with regards to the genetics differentiation and subspecies classification of chinese house mice,no comprehensive studies have been done.