Relationship between 24-bp insertion of prolactin promoter region and performance traits in the selected population of Silkie chicken

• Published in: Nihon Kakin Gakkaishi Vol. 45; no. 2
• Main Authors: Wada, Y.(Saga Univ. (Japan). Faculty of Agriculture), Nakamuta, Y, Jiang, Y, Matsuda, R, Abe, S, Anan, K
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Japanese
• Published: 01.10.2008
• Subjects: ANIMAL DE COMPAGNIE; ANIMALES DE COMPANIA; AVES DE CORRAL; BROODINESS; CLOQUERA; COMPORTEMENT DE COUVAISON; EGG PRODUCTION; GENE; GENES; GENOTIPOS; GENOTYPE; GENOTYPES; PCR; PET ANIMALS; POULTRY; PRODUCCION DE HUEVOS; PRODUCTION D'OEUFS; PROLACTIN; PROLACTINA; PROLACTINE; VOLAILLE
• ISSN: 0029-0254

Silkie chicken (Gallus gallus) have played an important role in traditional Chinese medicine, however broodiness is often observed and egg production ratio is very small in Silkie chicken. It is thought that prolactin gene is an essential for the start and maintain of broodiness in hens. The 24-bp insertion is found in the promoter region of prolactin gene of White Leghorn as compare with Red Jungle fowl and the absence of the 24-bp insertion would maintain normal function of the prolactin promoter. In this study, the 24-bp insertion was genotyped in the fourth generation of the Silkie population selected for egg production and the relationship between the genotype of the insertion locus and performance traits was investigated. Blood samples of 69 male Silkies and 242 female Silkies were collected from the fourth generation of Silkie population selected for egg production in Livestock Research Institute of Oita Prefectural Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Research Center. Genomic DNA was isolated from blood samples and the fragment of the promoter of prolactin gene was amplified using PCR. The PCR products were electrophoresed on 3.0% agarose gels for genotyping. The 282 Del/Del Silkies, 29 In/Del Silkies and no In/In Silkie were found in this study. The relationship between the genotype of the insertion locus and the performance traits was analyzed by analysis of variance, however there was no relationship for growth traits and egg production. The In/Del Silkies have higher peak of the distribution of 151 d-450 d egg production ratio than the De/Del Silkies.