Complete mitochondrial genome of the Thai Red Junglefowl (Gallus gallus) and phylogenetic analysis

DEAR EDITOR,In this study, we sequenced the complete mitochondrial genome （mitogenome） of the Thai Red Junglefowl （RJF; Gallus gallus） using the next-generation sequencing （NGS） platform of the Ion Torrent PGM. Samples were taken from Mae Wang District, Chiang Mai Province, northern Thailand Our data showed the complete mitogenome to be 16 785 bp in length, composed by 13 protein-coding genes, 22 tRNA genes, two rRNA genes, and one control region. The genome nucleotide composition was 30.3% A, 23.7% T, 32.5% C, and 13.5% G, resulting in a high percentage of A＋T （50.4%）. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the mitogenome belonged to haplogroup X, whereas those of all domestic chickens belong to haplogroups A to G. This newly released mitogenome sequence will advance further evolutionary and population genetics study of the RJF and domestic chicken The availability of the G. gallus mitogenome will also contribute to further conservation genetics research of a unique species, listed as ＇data deficient＇ in Thailand.

Identification of a novel mtDNA lineage B3 in chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus)

DEAR EDITOR, In this study, we sequenced the complete mitochondrial DNA genome （mitogenome） of the Zhengyang Yellow chicken （Gallus gallus domesticus） by next-generation sequencing technology. Samples were taken from Zhumadian city, Henan Province, China. The complete mitogenome was 16 785 bp in size, and had a nucleotide composition of 30.3% （A）, 23.7% （T） 32.5% （C）, and 13.5% （G）, with a high AT content of 54.0%. The assembled mitogenome exhibited typical mitochondrial DNA （mtDNA） structure, including a non-coding control region, two rRNA genes, 13 protein-coding genes, and 22 tRNA genes. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that this mitogenome defined a novel sub-haplogroup B3 within haplogroup B. These results should provide essential information for chicken domestication and insiqht into the evolution of genomes.

Roosting Territory of White Ear-Lobed Red Jungle Fowl （Gallus gallus gallus）

RJF （red jungle fowl） （Gallus gallus gallus） is territorial birds. Only males advertise and defend territory by metals of crows and combat fighting in severe cases. Crows are testosterone dependent and use up to 4-5% of their basal metabolic rate. Crows race individual voice signatures which differ in tone, duration and vibration. Crows together with radio-telemetry were used here to locate night roosts of dominant males. Between 2005 and 2009, 10 despots were intensively monitored. Outermost locations of individual＇s roosts were connected to form territory and a distance of 50 m was buffered to individual＇s territory to yield home range. Data indicated strong site fidelity of dominant males. The longest territory tenure was 31 months. The life time territory of males was on average 10.24 ha （±1.73 SE） and a home range was 17.59 ha （±2.15 SE）. Average yearly territory vmcied between 5.48 and 10.88 ha per individual and rarely overlapped. Some roosts were used repeatedly at the same point. In the night, RJF was relatively safe and difficult to approach both vertically and horizontally. Roost site selections were thus a trade-off between security and territory proclamation.

鸡(Gallus gallus)中介导ANP32家族蛋白细胞核定位的关键氨基酸位点的鉴定

本研究旨在鉴定鸡(Gallus gallus)中介导ANP32家族蛋白核定位信号(nuclear localization signal, NLS)中的关键碱性氨基酸位点。通过生物信息学软件对鸡ANP32家族蛋白二级结构、三级结构、氨基酸同源性、结构域保守性和NLS(KRKR)保守性进行分析;同时,构建表达鸡ANP32家族蛋白NLS及其碱性氨基酸位点突变体的重组真核表达载体并转染HEK-293T细胞,通过观察分析其亚细胞定位来鉴定NLS中的关键碱性氨基酸位点。生物信息学分析结果显示,鸡ANP32家族蛋白均以α-螺旋和无规则卷曲为主;其与鸭ANP32家族蛋白的氨基酸同源性最高且达到98.8%;其与鸭ANP32家族蛋白功能结构域保守性最高,LRR和LCAR结构域完全保守;并且鸡ANP32家族蛋白NLS在不同物种间高度保守,NLS均为KRKR。亚细胞定位分析发现,鸡ANP32家族蛋白及其NLS的融合蛋白均主要定位于细胞核,而NLS中的第一个K、第一个R和第二个K突变后导致融合蛋白出现在细胞质,可以推断它们是鸡中介导ANP32家族蛋白细胞核定位的关键氨基酸位点。本研究发现,鸡ANP32家族蛋白NLS具有与全长蛋白相同的细胞核定位特征,且在不同物种间具有高度保守性。鸡ANP32家族蛋白细胞核定位的关键氨基酸位点的鉴定为后续研究其入核转运机制奠定了理论基础。

鸡滑液囊支原体病的诊断及防控技术研究进展

滑液囊支原体病是一种由滑液囊支原体(Mycoplasma synoviae)引起的鸡(Gallus gallus f. domestic)的急性或慢性传染病,可导致雏鸡死亡、呼吸困难、跛行、产蛋下降等,给家禽养殖业造成较大经济损失。概述了滑液囊支原体病主要诊断技术和防控技术的研究进展,并针对其研究进展分析其优缺点,以期为防治滑液囊支原体病提供参考。

峨眉黑鸡遗传多样性及群体遗传结构分析

峨眉黑鸡(Gallus gallus)为原鸡属红原鸡种的一个地方亚种,肉蛋兼用型品种,不仅具有丰富的营养价值,还兼有药用价值和观赏价值,是四川峨眉山地区养殖数量较多的特有的黑鸡优秀品种。为了给峨眉黑鸡种质资源的科学保存和可持续性利用提供一定的理论依据,采集峨眉山地区三个地点的峨眉黑鸡各7只,以线粒体基因Cytb和COI作为分子标记,分析种群的遗传多样性特征与种群遗传结构。结果表明,不同采样点的峨眉黑鸡遗传多样性存在差异,峨眉山市鸿飞养鸡场的种群具有较高的单倍型多样性(Hd=0.905),峨眉山市远大林下放养鸡场的种群序列核苷酸平均配对差异最高(K=5.04762)。通过分析认为,峨眉黑鸡的遗传多样性并不丰富,建议加强对峨眉黑鸡种质资源的保护,保持这一品种的特征性不丢失。

Experimental Sex Inversion of Chicken Embryos at Aromatase Inhibition, Estrogen Receptor Modulation, DNA Demethylation and Progesterone Treatment

The work was carried out by microinjections of an aromatase inhibitor letrozole, an estrogen receptor modulator tamoxifen in incubated eggs Gallus g. domesticus, the first day of incubation. It also used 5-azacytidine (5-AC) at the same time. Injection of progesterone was carried out before the onset of meiosis prophase 1 on 16 h of incubation. Morphologically and histologically and by PCR, sex of the 17-day embryos was controlled. According to information received microinjection of letrozole caused almost a 100% inversion of genetic males to females, which is manifested in the morphology of the gonads. In other experiments, sex reversal is not revealed. The results are obtained in this study, and the data suggest that the presence of gonadogenesis in female chickens makes earlier emergence of aromatase in the beginning of incubation, than that according to the classical scheme of sex determination in birds. Presumably this kind of synthesis is triggered by some W-chromosomal factors. It failed to detect the phenomenon of gender inversion—the transformation of males into females after exposure to demethylating agent 5-AC that casts doubt on the participation of male hypermethylated (MHM)-RNA-segment in regulating the activity of sex determining genes.

The vocalization of the red junglefowl is a signal of body size and individual health

Bird songs are considered a sexually selected trait that can reflect the individual health of males as well as the vitality of potential mates and their competitors.Vocalization features should,therefore,be related to parasite load and body condition.Here,we performed a thorough acoustic analysis of the display calls of 9-month-old sub-adults and 18-month-old adults of pasture-raised red junglefowls Gallus gallus.We investigated whether the calls of pasture-raised red junglefowls can indicate body size and body condition,in addition to the influence of parasitic infection intensity on the expression of sexual traits.We found that frequency-related syllable parameters were significantly positively correlated with wing length in adults,whereas body weight was independent of both the frequency and temporal parameters of calls.In addition,we correlated parasitic load with the expression of sexually selected traits and discovered a positive association between the intensity of parasite infection and wing length in sub-adults,independent of vocal parameters.Overall,the results suggest that the vocalization of red junglefowls may convey reliable body size information,which will facilitate further studies of different vocal parameters in the transmission of bird vocalizations.