Confirmation of the role of N-acetyltransferase 2 in teratogen-induced cleft palate using transgenics and knockouts.

Previous work on Dilantin- and hydrocortisone-induced cleft palate and cleft lip with or without cleft palate using congenics for the N-acetyltransferase loci (Nat1 and Nat2 are closely linked) and recombinant inbred lines implicated the Nat1,2 region in susceptibility to teratogen-induced orofacial clefting. Since Nat1 does not differ between the two strains, Nat2 appeared to be responsible. We have now tested this conclusion using transgenics and knockouts.