Figure 4

Whisker trimming in WT and AC5 KO mice switched on-and-off behavioral preferences for KO food pellets in opposite ways. (A) Photographs showing a mouse with normal whiskers or whiskers cut to the fur level and respective mouse symbols. (B, C) Whisker trimming in WT (B) and AC5 KO mice (C) had no effect on their behavioral preferences for rough pellets over smooth ones. (D) Whisker trimming or whiskers glued to the snout and chin in WT mice induced behavioral preferences for KO pellets over WT pellets. (E) Temporal changes of whisker trimming effects in WT mice on behavioral preferences for KO pellets over WT pellets. Two-way repeated measures ANOVA, Holm-Sidak post-hoc test: time [F_{(3, 42)} = 11.22, p <0.001], food [F_(1,14) = 423.4, p <0.001], and time food interaction [F_(3,42) = 7.517, p <0.001]. (F) Whisker trimming effects in AC5 KO mice on behavioral preferences for KO pellets over WT pellets. (G) Temporal changes of whisker trimming effects in AC5 KO mice on behavioral preferences for KO pellets over WT pellets. Two-way repeated measures ANOVA, Holm-Sidak test: time [F_{(3, 36)} = 0.7297, p = 0.5410], food [F_(1,12) = 25.95, p <0.001], and time x food interaction [F_(3,36) = 2.832, p = 0.0519]. Mouse symbols: WT (black) and AC5 KO (red) with or without whiskers. Data are presented as the mean ± SEM (n = 7-20), * and ** denote the difference between indicated groups at p <0.05 and p <0.01.