Characterization of two Egyptian native chicken breeds using genetic and immunological parameters

Abstract

In order to identify and characterize our native chicken breeds we used two approaches, one of them is genetic and the other concerns with the immunological status of the chickens. In this study, the first 539 bases of the mtDNA D-loop region of two Egyptian native breeds (Fayoumi and Dandarawi, from El-Fayoum research station) were amplified and sequenced. The alignment results showed an approximate tandem repeat of 60-base units with the first 34 nucleotides being exact. These 34-base units were completely identical and conserved in both Egyptian and GenBank database samples. The multiple alignment results showed also that there are three transversions specific for the Egyptian breeds only. Two of them are not specific for certain breed since both of the two breeds showed the normal and mutated nucleotide. The third transversions seems to be specific to Egyptian Dandarawi breed only. The first mutation site is at the position (457) where Adenine nucleotide transversed to Cytosine nucleotide. The second mutation site is at the position (464) where Guanine nucleotide transversed to Thymine nucleotide. The third mutation site is at the position (483) where Adenine nucleotide transversed to Thymine nucleotide. With respect to immunological parameters, it could be speculated that the Fayoumi strain had hyper responders to phytohemagglutinin-P (PHA-P) injection compared to Dandarawi ones. Opposite trend was noticed for anti-SRBCs antibody response.The results may give an insight into the genetic differentiation and immunological status of the Egyptian domestic fowl. The results did not show direct relation between the two approaches used. However, the results of the two approaches can complete the identification and characterization of the chickens. Also, they could be used in future as bases for more studies.