Another study (Carr et al., 2007), using gene expression profiling of congenic rat strains to identify candidate genes for alcohol preference within a QTL interval on chromosome 4, identified 35 genes that were located within this QTL interval. Comparison of these QTL genes (Carr et al., 2007) with the alcohol responsive genes found in the present study indicated only one common gene, i.e., Snx10 (sorting nexin 10) in the CeA. This gene is involved in protein trafficking and formation of vacuoles in mammalian cells (Qin et al., 2006). The identification of Snx10 within a QTL for alcohol preference and the finding that changes in the expression level of this gene occurs in the CeA with ethanol drinking provides converging evidence to support Snx10 as a candidate gene for alcohol preference, and a gene responsive to high alcohol drinking.
