The lavender plumage colour in Japanese quail is associated with a complex mutation in the region of MLPH that is related to differences in growth, feed consumption and body temperature
2012
Bed'Hom , Bertrand (INRA , Jouy-En-Josas (France). UMR 1313 Génétique Animale et Biologie Intégrative) | Vaez , Mohsen (University of Sheffield, Sheffield(Royaume Uni). Department of Animal and Plant Sciences) | Coville , Jean-Luc (INRA , Jouy-En-Josas (France). UMR 1313 Génétique Animale et Biologie Intégrative) | Gourichon , David (INRA , Nouzilly (France). UE 1295 Pôle d'Expérimentation Avicole de Tours) | Chastel , Olivier (Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Beauvoir-sur-Niort(France). UPR 1934 CNRS, Centre d’Etudes Biologiques de Chizé CEBC) | Follett , Sarah (University of Sheffield, Sheffield(Royaume Uni). Department of Animal and Plant Sciences) | Burke , Terry (University of Sheffield, Sheffield(Royaume Uni). Department of Animal and Plant Sciences) | Minvielle , Francis (INRA , Jouy-En-Josas (France). UMR 1313 Génétique Animale et Biologie Intégrative)
Background: The lavender phenotype in quail is a dilution of both eumelanin and phaeomelanin in feathers that produces a blue-grey colour on a wild-type feather pattern background. It has been previously demonstrated by intergeneric hybridization that the lavender mutation in quail is homologous to the same phenotype in chicken, which is caused by a single base-pair change in exon 1 of MLPH.[br/] Results: In this study, we have shown that a mutation of MLPH is also associated with feather colour dilution in quail, but that the mutational event is extremely different. In this species, the lavender phenotype is associated with a non-lethal complex mutation involving three consecutive overlapping chromosomal changes (two inversions and one deletion) that have consequences on the genomic organization of four genes (MLPH and the neighbouring PRLH, RAB17 and LRRFIP1). The deletion of PRLH has no effect on the level of circulating prolactin. Lavender birds have lighter body weight, lower body temperature and increased feed consumption and residual feed intake than wild-type plumage quail, indicating that this complex mutation is affecting the metabolism and the regulation of homeothermy.[br/] Conclusions: An extensive overlapping chromosome rearrangement was associated with a non-pathological Mendelian trait and minor, non deleterious effects in the lavender Japanese quail which is a natural knockout for PRLH.
Show more [+] Less [-]AGROVOC Keywords
Bibliographic information
This bibliographic record has been provided by Institut national de la recherche agronomique
