Changes of Protein Polymorphism in Selection Program for Egg Production in Japanese Quail, Coturnix coturnix japonica. 1. Gene constitution of Initial Generation.

Abstract

The present study was done to evaluate and compare the genetic variability at initial generation in an experiment which was conducted to evaluate the heterosis effect in lines under different modes of selection for egg production using Jouy and Tours strains maintained in INRA. Genetic variability was analyzed for 6 lines (lines 1, 2, 3, 4, C and D) of the both strains by 10 protein loci (Hb-1, Alb, Tf, Es-D, Es-2, 6PGD, ADH, Acp, Prt and Amy). The values of Ppoly were calculated as 0.500-0.600 in Jouy strain and 0.70 in Tours strain. The values of H varied from 0.182 to 0.193 in Jouy strain and from 0.220 to 0.232 in Tours strain. Coefficients of gene differentiation (GST) among line was calculated as 0.019. This values suggests that genetic differentiation among the 6 lines is small. Based on genetic distance data, dendrograms were drawn by unweighted pair group method. Six lines were clustered in two groups. One group is composed of line 1, line 3 and line C, and the other group is composed of line 2, line 4 and line D. Based on 9 loci except Prt locus, genetic relationship among 6 lines in INRA and 6 laboratory populations in Japan was investigated. Genetic distances were calculated as 0.001-0.009 within INRA, 0.029-0.089 within Japanese stock and 0.081-0.184 between INRA stock and Japanese stock. GST calculated from gene frequency of 12 quail lines in INRA and Japan was estimated as 0.191 which is higher than the value among lines within INRA. This results suggest this genetic differentiation between INRA and Japan is larger than between lines in INRA stock and between laboratory lines in Japan. A dendrogram composed of the 12 quail lines showed two different clusters of six lines of INRA and 6 laboratory lines in Japan. These results suggest that gene constitution between quail lines in France and in Japan widely different.