Editing Peromyscus (section)

== Use as a laboratory animal ==
While wild populations are sometimes studied,<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Tietje|first1=William D.|last2=Lee|first2=Derek E.|last3=Vreeland|first3=Justin K.|date=2008|title=Survival and Abundance Of Three Species Of Mice In Relation to Density Of Shrubs and Prescribed Fire In Understory Of An Oak Woodland In California|journal=The Southwestern Naturalist|volume=53|issue=3|pages=357–369|doi=10.1894/PS-35.1|bibcode=2008SWNat..53..357T |s2cid=54586518}}</ref> ''Peromyscus'' species are also easy to breed and keep in captivity, although they are more energetic and difficult to handle than the relatively more tame ''M. musculus''. For certain studies, they are also favored over the [[laboratory mouse]] (''M. musculus'') and the [[laboratory rat]] (''Rattus norvegicus'').  Apart from their importance in studying infectious diseases, ''Peromyscus'' species are useful for studying [[phylogeography]], [[speciation]], [[chromosome]]s, [[genetics]], [[ecology]], [[population genetics]], conservation<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Cobo-Simón|first1=Irene|last2=Méndez-Cea|first2=Belén|last3=Portillo|first3=Héctor|last4=Elvir|first4=Fausto|last5=Vega|first5=Hermes|last6=Gallego|first6=Francisco Javier|last7=Fontecha|first7=Gustavo|date=2019|title=Testing the effectiveness of conservation management within biosphere reserves: the case of the Mexican deer mouse (Peromyscus mexicanus) as a bioindicator|journal=Integrative Zoology|volume=14|issue=5|pages=422–434|doi=10.1111/1749-4877.12371|pmid=30585414|s2cid=58592507 }}</ref> and [[evolution]] in general.  They are also useful for researching repetitive-movement disorders.<ref name="Joyner">{{cite journal|vauthors=Joyner CP, Myrick LC, Crossland JP, Dawson WD |pmid=11406688|year=1998|title=Deer Mice As Laboratory Animals|volume=39|issue=4|pages=322–330|journal=ILAR Journal |doi=10.1093/ilar.39.4.322|doi-access=free}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|author1=Dewey, M.J.  |author2=Dawson, W.D. |name-list-style=amp |doi=10.1002/gene.1011|title=Deer mice: "The ''Drosophila'' of North American mammalogy"|year=2001|journal=Genesis|volume=29|issue=3|pages=105–9|pmid=11252049|s2cid=40389176 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book|author1=Institute of Laboratory Animal Resources (U.S.). Committee on Animal Models for Research on Aging|author2=National Research Council (U.S.). Committee on Animal Models for Research on Aging|title=Mammalian Models for Research on Aging|url=https://archive.org/details/mammalianmodelsf0000inst|url-access=registration|date=1981|publisher=National Academies|isbn=978-0-309-03094-6}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|pmid=19713521|year=2009|last1=Linnen|first1=CR|last2=Kingsley|first2=EP|last3=Jensen|first3=JD|last4=Hoekstra|first4=HE|title=On the origin and spread of an adaptive allele in deer mice|volume=325|issue=5944|pages=1095–8|doi=10.1126/science.1175826|pmc=2736094|bibcode=2009Sci...325.1095L|journal=Science}}</ref> Their use in aging research is because ''Peromyscus'' spp., despite being of similar size to the standard laboratory mouse, have maximum lifespans of 5–7 years, compared to the 3-year maximum lifespan of ''ad libitum''-fed laboratory strains or wild-caught ''M. musculus''.<ref name="Crossland" />

[https://sc.edu/study/colleges_schools/pharmacy/centers/peromyscus_genetic_stock_center/ The Peromyscus Genetic Stock Center] at the [[University of South Carolina]] was established by Professor Wallace Dawson in 1985 to raise [[animal]]s of the peromyscine species for research and educational use. This institute maintains populations of several different species (including ''[[Peromyscus californicus]]'', ''[[Peromyscus maniculatus]]'', ''[[Peromyscus melanophrys]]'', ''[[Peromyscus eremicus]]'', and ''[[Peromyscus aztecus]]''). A variety of mutations affecting their behavior, [[biochemistry]], and the color of their coats is exhibited in these genetic lines.

An American scientist once asked, "How do you go out there and vaccinate a bunch of deer mice against Hantavirus by hand?"<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.popsci.com/contagious-vaccine-virus/ |title=Vaccines of the future could be as contagious as viruses |date=5 June 2017 |publisher=popsci.com |accessdate=5 June 2017}}</ref> In 2017, [[Rocky Mountain Laboratories]] started a deer mouse ''(Peromyscus)'' colony.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Williamson |first1=B. |date=17 May 2021 |title=Continuing Orthohantavirus Circulation in Deer Mice in Western Montana |journal= Viruses|volume=13 |issue=6 |page=1006 |doi=10.3390/v13061006 |doi-access=free |pmid=34072112 |pmc=8226622 }}</ref> The BSL-4 laboratory had used deer mice as a model for research on self-spreading vaccines.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Nuismer |first1=S. |date=21 September 2020 |title=Bayesian estimation of Lassa virus epidemiological parameters: Implications for spillover prevention using wildlife vaccination |journal= PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases|volume=14 |issue=9 |pages=e0007920 |doi=10.1371/journal.pntd.0007920 |doi-access=free |pmid=32956349 |pmc=7529244 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Scudellari |first1=Megan |title=Journal Club: Can transmissible vaccines have a major role in eradicating disease? |url=https://www.pnas.org/post/journal-club/journal-club-can-transmissible-vaccines-have-a-major-role-in-eradicating-disease |language=en |doi=10.1073/journal-club.2387 |date=14 November 2016|doi-broken-date=22 May 2025 }}</ref> [[SARS-CoV-2]] transmits efficiently in deer mice.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Fagre |first1=A. |date=21 May 2021 |title=SARS-CoV-2 infection, neuropathogenesis and transmission among deer mice: Implications for spillback to New World rodents |journal= PLOS Pathogens|volume=17 |issue=5 |pages=e1009585 |doi=10.1371/journal.ppat.1009585 |doi-access=free |pmid=34010360 |pmc=7418741 }}</ref>