Researchers led by Hopi Hoekstra from the Harvard University studied two species of mice and identified four regions in their genome that appear to influence the way they dig burrows.
"Given that burrowing is such a complex behaviour, it was surprising that it may be controlled by just a few genes.
"More importantly, it looks like the genetics are modular, so if we think in terms of how do you 'build' a complex trait, it could be that as you start to put these different modules together, they add up to this complex behaviour," Hoekstra said.
"People have long been fascinated about how and why animals build homes. I believe this is one of, if not the first attempt to determine which genes are associated with the evolution of animal architecture," said Jesse Weber, lead author of the study.
"Although we have not yet identified the exact genes that are involved, this study sets the foundation for research that will do precisely that," he added.
"As soon as the mutations or genes are found, I think it opens the very exciting opportunity to explore whether the same genes/mutations affect mammalian instincts in general."
More From This Section
Though closely related, the species build drastically different burrows. While the deer mouse digs relatively shallow and simple burrows, oldfield mice burrows are complex, complete with a long entrance tunnel, a separate nest chamber, and an escape tunnel that nearly reaches the surface.
In the field, Weber excavated the intricate burrows of oldfield mice across their range in the southeastern United States, and found that whether in hard-packed clay or sandy dunes, the length of the burrows was remarkably constant.
This suggested that their burrowing behaviour might be more strongly influenced by genes than environment.