Silkie Research Articles

Study of Hematological Characteristics and Mineral Metabolism of Moscow Black Chickens in the Process of Acclimatization in the Astrakhan Region

The study of indicators characterizing the processes associated with the acclimatization of birds in new biogeochemical conditions is of interest in connection with the prospects of the poultry industry in the Astrakhan Region, where the lack of important trace elements in soils and plant feeds: Se, I, Co, is observed. In the presented study, the main hematological and biochemical parameters of blood and mineral metabolism were determined in 2 groups of chickens of the Moscow black breed: imported to the Astrakhan Region from Moscow and kept in the Moscow Region. The analyses revealed strong differences (P<0.01) in indicators of two groups. The acclimatized birds were characterized by low levels of red blood cells and hemoglobin in the blood, as well as a higher content of white blood cells than in the second group. The chickens had impaired lipid and protein metabolism. A 71.3% increase in the level of total sugar most likely indicated a stress state of birds. Compared with the chickens in the Moscow Region, the level of calcium in their blood was 32.4% lower, phosphorus – 12.9%. To a large extent, a decrease in the levels of iodine and selenium – by 5.3 and 5.2 times, respectively, was observed. Thus, in the absence of external changes, acclimatized chickens are subject to a latent form of combined I- and Se-hypomicroelementosis. At the same time, a drop in egg productivity by 19% is the recorded fact. The necessity to adapt to the new climatic conditions of the Lower Volga region for birds, combined with a lack of important trace elements, can cause increased oxidative stress in acclimatized birds. Based on the results of the study, the use of feed additives that make up for the deficiency of necessary trace elements is recommended.

Apparent digestibility and nutritional composition of Leucaena leucocephala (Lam) leaf meal incorporated in the diets of Black Australorp and Potchefstroom Koekoek chicken breeds

The objective of the study was to determine the apparent digestibility and nutrient composition of Leucaena leucocephala leaf meal (LLM) inclusion in Black Australorp and Potchefstroom Koekoek diets. Tender and mature leaves were separately harvested from 10 individual trees and stored separately for chemical analyses. The leaves were air-dried in a well-ventilated laboratory to constant weight and milled to pass through a 1-mm sieve. A mixture of tender and mature leaves was also collected to produce a bulk leaf meal. The four iso-nitrogenous dietary treatments were 0 (control), 2.5, 5.0 and 7.5% of LLM, respectively. The apparent digestibility of two chicken breeds was also evaluated. The dry matter (DM), neutral detergent fibre (NDF), ether extract (EE), cellulose and hemicellulose of the samples did not differ between tender and mature leaves. Tender leaves had higher (P < 0.05) calcium, potassium, magnesium and sodium concentration than mature leaves. Crude protein and mimosine content were significantly (P < 0.05) higher in tender than in mature leaves. The inclusion levels of L. leucocephala leaf meal affect (P < 0.05) acid detergent fibre (ADF), neutral detergent fibre (NDF) and crude protein (CP) digestibility. Crude protein digestibility decreases as the inclusion levels of L. leucocephala increase. Both tender and mature L. leucocephala leaves have a potential nutritional value that can be used in feedstuff and can be used as a protein supplement for Black Australorp and Potchefstroom Koekoek chicken breeds.

EVALUATION OF GENETIC VARIABILITY BETWEEN THREE LINES OF CHICKENS BASED ON RAPD-PCR AND 18S rRNA GENE SEQUENCING IN ERBIL (IRAQI KURDISTAN REGION)

The current study was carried out to evaluate and identify the genetic variation between Local Black chicken lines with two commercial Layer (Isa Brown) and Broiler (Rose) breeds using RAPD markers and sequencing approach of 18s rRNA gene. From the result of the RAPD marker, all primers used were produced 152 scorable bands ranging from 2 to 9 with the size ranging from 320 to 2990 bp with percentage polymorphic loci 64.86% among chicken populations. The highest amplified fragments by primer OPC-11 and lowest by OPAA-03 were 24 and 8, respectively. The mean of the observed number of alleles (na), effective number of alleles (ne), gene diversity (h), Shannon's information index (I) for all loci found to be 1.6486, 1.5189, 0.2883 and 0.4129, respectively. The existence of a high level of polymorphisms and targeted (74) loci throughout all chicken populations/primers indicate sufficient genetic distance and more genetic variability among chicken populations using RAPD-PCR techniques. Result of blasted sequences of 18srRNA gene of local chicken has GenBank accession number MT808178 and MT808179 by BLAST tool against Gallus gallus, it showed the highest identity 95.74% and 94.88% for data of first and second part, respectively. The overall dendrograms clustered showed that the local chicken was closer to the commercial layer than to the broiler chicken lines. Therefore, it suggests that improving the local Black chicken line according to the layer breeding program to collect genetically invaluable genetic resources

A Comparative Study of Some Biochemical Blood Characteristics of Six Lines of Iraqi Local Female Chickens

The development in the poultry industry led to a change in many physiological functions in poultry, and this requires studying and understanding the physiological processes, as they contribute to raising production efficiency. Therefore, the study aimed to compare some of the biochemical characteristics and kidney functions in the serum of Six lines of Iraqi local chickens. We used chicken 55 weeks old (four chickens from each line), which are black and white striped chickens, white naked chickens, red naked chickens, white chickens, red brown chickens, and black chickens. The results indicated a significant increase in the studied traits in the brown naked chicken line compared to the rest of the lines, which indicates the presence of damage to some tissues and cells of the body due to some diseases that affect this line. How to Cite this Article Pubmed Style Kamil FA, Khudhair N, Khalid A. Comparative Study of Some Biochemical Blood Characteristics of Six Lines of Iraqi Local Female SRP. 2020; 11(10): 1121-1124. doi:10.31838/srp.2020.10.161 Web Style Kamil FA, Khudhair N, Khalid A. Comparative Study of Some Biochemical Blood Characteristics of Six Lines of Iraqi Local Female http://www.sysrevpharm.org/?mno=55270 [Access: March 29, 2021]. doi:10.31838/srp.2020.10.161 AMA (American Medical Association) Style Kamil FA, Khudhair N, Khalid A. Comparative Study of Some Biochemical Blood Characteristics of Six Lines of Iraqi Local Female SRP. 2020; 11(10): 1121-1124. doi:10.31838/srp.2020.10.161 Vancouver/ICMJE Style Kamil FA, Khudhair N, Khalid A. Comparative Study of Some Biochemical Blood Characteristics of Six Lines of Iraqi Local Female SRP. (2020), [cited March 29, 2021]; 11(10): 1121-1124. doi:10.31838/srp.2020.10.161 Harvard Style Kamil, F. A., Khudhair, . N. & Khalid, . A. (2020) Comparative Study of Some Biochemical Blood Characteristics of Six Lines of Iraqi Local Female SRP, 11 (10), 1121-1124. doi:10.31838/srp.2020.10.161 Turabian Style Kamil, Fatimah Abdullah, Nagam Khudhair, and Ahmed Khalid. 2020. Comparative Study of Some Biochemical Blood Characteristics of Six Lines of Iraqi Local Female Systematic Reviews in Pharmacy, 11 (10), 1121-1124. doi:10.31838/srp.2020.10.161 Chicago Style Kamil, Fatimah Abdullah, Nagam Khudhair, and Ahmed Khalid. A Comparative Study of Some Biochemical Blood Characteristics of Six Lines of Iraqi Local Female Chickens. Systematic Reviews in Pharmacy 11 (2020), 1121-1124. doi:10.31838/srp.2020.10.161 MLA (The Modern Language Association) Style Kamil, Fatimah Abdullah, Nagam Khudhair, and Ahmed Khalid. A Comparative Study of Some Biochemical Blood Characteristics of Six Lines of Iraqi Local Female Chickens. Systematic Reviews in Pharmacy 11.10 (2020), 1121-1124. Print. doi:10.31838/srp.2020.10.161 APA (American Psychological Association) Style Kamil, F. A., Khudhair, . N. & Khalid, . A. (2020) Comparative Study of Some Biochemical Blood Characteristics of Six Lines of Iraqi Local Female Systematic Reviews in Pharmacy, 11 (10), 1121-1124. doi:10.31838/srp.2020.10.161

First Report on Better Functional Property of Black Chicken Meat from India

Background: Indian domesticated chickens have a wide variety of phenotypes. Unlike other chicken breeds, Kadaknath chicken has black meat and is used by indigenous tribal people for its invigorating and therapeutic properties. To look for the functional traits that might be contributing towards the acclaimed benefits, free radical scavenging capacity and metal chelating ability of Kadaknath meat were explored for the first time in comparison to the commercial Cobb broiler. Methods: During the period 2018-2020, breast and thigh meat were collected from chickens (n=20/ group) at their commercial slaughter age. Meat extract was used for qualitative evaluation of protein as well as the antioxidant capacity utilizing diverse in vitro methods corresponding to different antioxidation mechanisms.Result: Protein concentration (g/100g of tissue) in Kadaknath breast (25.25 ± 0.31) and thigh (19.98 ± 0.29) meat was significantly (P less than 0.05) higher than the Cobb. Breast meat had better scavenging capacity than the thigh. The superiority of the antioxidant capacity of Kadaknath meat was explicitly established by more than one in vitro assay. Free radical scavenging assays viz. 2,2-azinobis (3-ethyl-benzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS); 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and Cupric reducing antioxidant capacity (CUPRAC) had significantly (P less than 0.05) higher values for Kadaknath in comparison to the Cobb broiler meat. Ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) values (mM Fe2+/g of tissue) were also more in breast meat of Kadaknath (26.97±0.37) than the Cobb (15.24±0.40). Similarly, FRAP values were higher in Kadaknath (33.85±0.47) than the Cobb (19.2±0.31) thigh meat. Kadaknath had higher antioxidant capacity as reflected by metal chelation inhibition value. These findings help to explain the unique nutritional and functional characteristics of Kadaknath black-bone chicken and provide basic research data for exploring the commercial potential of its meat in the fields of functional foods, cosmeceuticals and nuutraceuticals.

Isolation of Mycobacterium avium and other nontuberculous mycobacteria in chickens and captive birds in peninsular Malaysia

BackgroundMycobacterium avium complex (MAC) causes a chronic infectious in the birds known as avian mycobacteriosis. Almost all species of the birds are susceptible to MAC which consists of two closely related species of mycobacteria, that is, M. avium and M. intracellulare. This study aimed to determine the occurrence of Mycobacterium avium subsp. avium (MAA) in chickens and captive birds in selected states of Peninsular Malaysia.ResultsA 300 fecal samples were collected from village chickens (n = 100), layer chickens (n = 100) and captive birds (n = 100). Fecal samples were split into two aliquots for microbiological and molecular detection of MAA. Microbiology detection consisted of microscopy (Ziehl-Neelsen staining) and culture of samples decontaminated with 1% Cetylperidinium chloride and vancomycin, nalidixic acid and amphotericin B (VNA) antibiotic cocktail [vancomycin (VAN) 100 μg/ml, nalidixic acid (NAL) 100 μg/ml and amphotericin B (AMB) 50 μg/ml] onto Löwenstein-Jensen (L-J). Molecular detection (PCR-IS901) was performed to detect MAA DNA from the feces and PCR-16S rRNA and IS901 for identification of genus Mycobacterium and Mycobacterium avium sub species avium isolated onto L-J. All samples (296) were AFB negative smear. M. avium was isolated in 0.3% (1/296) samples by culture and detected in 2.5% (6/242) samples by PCR (IS901). Other mycobacteria were found in 1.7% (5/296) chickens. Of five isolates, two were identified as Mycobacterium terrae and M. engbaekii and remaining isolates were not sequenced. Birds positive for M. avium included White Pelican (n = 1) Black Hornbill (n = 1), Macaw (n = 2), Cockatoo (n = 2) and village chicken (n = 1).ConclusionIt is concluded that chickens and birds were infected with M. avium in selected areas of Peninsular Malaysia. Although, PCR is rapid, reliable and cost effective method for detection of M. avium in a subclinical stage, the culture of the avian feces should still be used as a reference test for the diagnosis of avian tuberculosis.

The crest phenotype in domestic chicken is caused by a 195 bp duplication in the intron of HOXC10

The Crest mutation in chicken shows incomplete dominance and causes a spectacular phenotype in which the small feathers normally present on the head are replaced by much larger feathers normally present only in dorsal skin. Using whole-genome sequencing, we show that the crest phenotype is caused by a 197 bp duplication of an evolutionarily conserved sequence located in the intron of HOXC10 on chromosome 33. A diagnostic test showed that the duplication was present in all 54 crested chickens representing eight breeds and absent from all 433 non-crested chickens representing 214 populations. The mutation causes ectopic expression of at least five closely linked HOXC genes, including HOXC10, in cranial skin of crested chickens. The result is consistent with the interpretation that the crest feathers are caused by an altered body region identity. The upregulated HOXC gene expression is expanded to skull tissue of Polish chickens showing a large crest often associated with cerebral hernia, but not in Silkie chickens characterized by a small crest, both homozygous for the duplication. Thus, the 197 bp duplication is required for the development of a large crest and susceptibility to cerebral hernia because only crested chicken show this malformation. However, this mutation is not sufficient to cause herniation because this malformation is not present in breeds with a small crest, like Silkie chickens.

Complete mitochondrial genome and phylogenetic analysis of Huangshan Black chicken (Gallus gallus)

In this study, we sequenced the complete mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) of the Huangshan Black chicken (HBC). Results showed that the complete HBC mitogenome was 16,785 bp in size, comprising 22 transfer RNA genes, 2 ribosomal RNA genes, 13 protein-coding genes, and 1 non-coding control region (D-loop). The overall nucleotide composition was 32.5% for C, 30.3% for A, 23.7% for T, and 13.5% for G. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the HBC mitogenome was clustered with Xianju chicken, which belonged to the haplogroup D2. Our results therefore demonstrate that the origin of HBC corresponds to haplogroup D2 distribution and might have at least one maternal lineage originated from Southeast Asia.

Specific mutations in the genes of MC1R and TYR have an important influence on the determination of pheomelanin pigmentation in Korean native chickens.

Objective:The TYR (Tyrosinase) and MC1R (Melanocortin 1 receptor) genes are recognized as important genes involved in plumage pigmentation in Korean native chickens. Specifically, most color patterns in chicken result from differential expression of the TYR gene. In this study, the co-segregation of the pigmentation and sequence of the TYR and MC1R genes was investigated through intercrosses between red (R1q1), red with black and black plumage color types of native Korean chickens.Materials and Methods:Using DNA, RNA, and tissue by plumage color of each Korean native chickens, the role of major genes in pigmentation of pheomelanin was evaluated. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, sequencing, western blot, and immunohistochemical were performed to determine the effect of TYR and MC1R genes on plumage pigmentation in Korean native chickens.Results:The KCO line (Korean chicken Ogol: Black-line) with an EEC _ genotype exhibited black feathers, whereas red and red mixed with black chicken with EeC genotype exhibited white feathers. There were notable differences between the base sequences of MC1R and TYR in three Korean chicken breeds, with the highest variation in TYR. Perhaps this is the key characteristics of Korean chicken. Further, we analyzed the expression patterns of MC1R and TYR genes in each type of Korea native chicken and observed that TYR expression was high in feather follicle (R1q2) of KCO tissue. However, native red (Korean chicken red) and native red with black (Korean chicken red dark) chickens have increased TYR expression in the tissue. However, the expression of MC1R was much different from that of TYR.Conclusion:In this study, our results suggest that the differences in position and TYR expression levels exert more influence on plumage pigmentation in native Korean chicken breeds than changes in MC1R expression levels.

Identification of Igf2bp1 gene family and effect on chicken myoblast proliferation

ABSTRACT The function of Igf2bp1 regulated muscle development in Lueyang black-bone chickens is to be investigated. The insulin-like growth factor 2 mRNA-binding protein 1 (IGF2BP1) belongs to the family of single-stranded RNA-binding proteins (IGF2BP1-3). IGF2BP1 is abundantly expressed in a broad range of foetal tissues, but only in a limited number of normal adult tissues, and is involved in biological regulation processes, including cell proliferation, differentiation, metabolism and migration, especially in tumour cells. Recent study has reported Igf2bp1 was a key gene that regulated the body size of Pekin ducks. We found that the expression level of Igf2bp1 gradually decreased with age in the leg muscle of Lueyang black-bone chicken, but its function in chicken muscle development is unknown. Firstly, the evolutionary relationship of Igf2bp1 gene family was analysed in chicken. Additionally, Igf2bp1-overexpressed myoblasts of Lueyang black-bone chicken were constructed. The results showed that Igf2bp1 plays a negative role in cell proliferation by the CCK8 and 5-ethynyl-2′-deoxyuridine assay. Moreover, Igf2bp1 inhibited myogenesis by detecting the myoblast proliferation markers of pax7, the expression of myogenic differentiation markers, MyoD, MyoG and Myf5 in myoblasts. Thus, Igf2bp1 can inhibit chicken myoblast proliferation and differentiation by regulating key gene expression of myogenesis, which is not conducive to the growth and development of skeletal muscle in Lueyang black chickens.

1H NMR-based water-soluble lower molecule characterization and fatty acid composition of Chinese native chickens and commercial broiler

The aim of this study was to compare the water-soluble low molecular weight (WLMW) compounds and fatty acids (FAs) in raw meat and chicken soup between the two Chinese native chickens (Wuding chicken and Yanjin silky fowl chicken) and one typical commercial broiler (Cobb chicken). The WLMW compounds of chicken meat was studied using 1H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H NMR) and the FAs were identified and quantified using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC–MS). Compared with typical commercial broiler, the main flavor substances (WLMW compounds and FAs) content were significantly higher in the breast and leg meat of the two Chinese native chickens (P < 0.05). Instead, the content of main flavor compounds was significantly higher in chicken soup of typical commercial broiler (P < 0.05). These results contribute to a further understanding the distinction of the flavor compounds between the typical commercial broiler and Chinese native chickens, which could be used to help assess the meat quality of different local broilers.

Using Cherenkov imaging to monitor the match line between photon and electron radiation therapy fields on biological tissue phantoms.

.Significance: Due to patients’ respiratory movement or involuntary body movements during breast cancer radiotherapy, the mismatched adjacent fields in surface exposure regions could result in insufficient dosage or overdose in these regions, which would lead to tissue injury, excessive skin burns, and potential death. Cherenkov luminescence imaging (CLI) could be used to effectively detect the matching information of adjacent radiation fields without extra radiation or invasive imaging.Aim: Our objective was to provide a biological experimental basis for monitoring matching of adjacent radiation fields between photon and electron fields due to introduced shifts during radiotherapy by CLI technique.Approach: A medical accelerator was used to generate photon and electron fields. An industrial camera system was adopted to image the excited CLI signal during irradiation of chicken tissue with yellow (group A and group C experiments) or black color (group B experiment). The following introduced shifts were tested: 10, 5, 2, and 0 mm toward superior or inferior direction. A model was introduced to deal with matching error analysis of adjacent radiation fields due to introduced shifts with adapted plans used to treat neoplasms of the right breast with supraclavicular nodes or internal mammary lymph node.Results: The matching values between photon and electron fields were consistent with the tested introduced shifts during yellow chicken irradiation. In group A, average discrepancies were and for photon fields and electron fields in anterior/posterior (AP) direction, with 87% and 75% of measurement within 1 mm, respectively. In group C, average discrepancies were and for oblique photon field with gantry angles of 330 deg and 150 deg, with 66% and 65% of measurement within 1 mm, respectively. The average discrepancies were for electron field in the AP direction, with 94% of measurement within 1 mm. The matching error introduced by the proposed method was less than 1.5 mm for AP fields and 2 mm for oblique incidence fields. However, the field matching could not be monitored with black chicken tissue irradiation due to a weak CLI signal that could hardly be extracted from background noise in group B.Conclusions: CLI is demonstrated for the quantitative monitoring of the field match line on light biological tissue phantoms and has potential for monitoring of field matching in surface tissue during breast cancer radiotherapy.

Chemical compositions and sensory characteristics of pork rib and Silkie chicken soups prepared by various cooking techniques

Meat soup is an important diet with desirable taste and abundant nutrients. Unveiling the chemical composition of soup will help to understand the health effects. In this work, pork ribs and Silkie chicken were used to prepare soups by boiling, steaming and four-stage stewing, respectively. The chemical composition and sensory qualities of these soups were obviously influenced by the cooking technique. Silkie chicken and pork rib soups prepared by four-stage stewing technique had particle size smaller than 850 nm, smaller chromatic aberration, higher stability, higher levels of free amino acids, lower levels of fat and total triglycerides than the other two techniques. More abundant flavor and taste characteristics were also detected. The high temperature boiling technique could promote the accumulation of the mineral elements in soup. According to healthy and sensory concerns, stewing was the best choice for preparing soups of pork rib and Silkie chicken.

Quality Characteristics of Breast and Thigh Chicken Meat from Free- Range System: Comparative Antioxidant Profile of Indigenous and Improved Germplasm

Background: New chicken breeds are being evolved for backyard rural poultry production to overcome the slow growth, late sexual maturity and poor production of indigenous breeds. However, autochthonous poultry is epitomized for quality attributes of their products. With this in mind, the present study for the first time explored the antioxidant capacity of meat obtained from a unique Indian chicken, Kadaknath and a synthetic breed of poultry, Jabalpur colour (JBC). Methods: During the period 2018-2020, breast and thigh meat were collected from chickens (n=20/ group) at their commercial slaughter age (20 weeks). Meat extract was used for qualitative evaluation. Antioxidant activity was explored using five well established in vitro methods testing for different antioxidant mechanisms. Result: Both, Kadaknath and JBC meat was proteinaceous with higher protein concentration (g/100 g of wet weight) in the breast (Kadaknath, 25.21±0.31 and JBC, 25.65±0.39) than the thigh (Kadaknath, 19.98±0.29 and JBC, 19.04±0.23). Both the groups exhibited antioxidant capacity in all the assays. They showed good radical scavenging for ABTS and DPPH free radicals. Superiority of Kadaknath meat was ascertained unequivocally by the three assays viz. Ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), lipid oxidation inhibition (TBARS) and metal chelating capacity. FRAP values (mM Fe2+/g of tissue) were 26.97±0.37 and 33.85±0.47 (Kadaknath) and 22.84±0.25 and 26.82±0.36 (JBC) for breast and thigh, respectively. Similarly, Kadaknath meat was more potent (% inhibition) iron chelator (breast, 62.71±0.99 and thigh, 75.07±0.98) in comparison to the JBC (breast, 46.30±2.36 and thigh, 63.12±1.87). Breast meat had better scavenging capacity than the thigh except in FRAP and metal chelating assays. Results provide insight into the antioxidant potential of backyard poultry germplasm thus, laying foundation for developing marketing strategies targeting consumers interested in nutritional quality, animal welfare and environmental sustainability. Furthermore, baseline data has been generated for studying medicinal properties attributed to the black chicken meat of Kadaknath.

Proximate Composition and Meat Quality of Three Indian Native Chicken Breeds

Background: The present study was conducted at Livestock farm complex, TANUVAS, Chennai (India) with the objective of comparing the proximate composition and meat characters of three desi chicken breeds viz., Kadaknath, Nicobari Black and Naked Neck chicken. Methods: For this purpose, 60 adult birds (20 each) were maintained on littered floor in separate pens under optimal management conditions. The birds were fed with ad libitum balanced broiler ration and slaughtered after 8 weeks by randomly selecting 6 birds from each breed. Result: Laboratory analysis revealed that there was no significant difference (p&gt;0.05) in the proximate composition of meats among the three native chicken breeds. The total ash content and calcium level was found to be higher in Nicobari Black chicken meat than other breeds and Naked Neck chicken showed the highest value of unsaturated fatty acid. There was significant difference (p less than 0.01) in the physical characters like pH, Water Holding Capacity (WHC), Shear Force Value (SFV), Extract Release Volume (ERV), Thiobarbituric Acid (TBA), Tyrosine Value (TV) texture profile analysis and hunter colour value among the three native breeds. These factors will help us to choose the right native desi breed for development of designer and value added meat products.

The complete mitochondrial genome of the Emei black chicken (Gallus gallus) and its phylogenetic analyses

In this study, the complete mitochondrial genome of Emei black chicken (Gallus gallus) was obtained by using next generation sequencing method. The complete mitogenome sequence is 16,784 bp in length, containing 13 protein-coding genes, two ribosomal RNAs, 22 transfer RNA genes, and one control region. This work provides a valuable genetic resource of data for the Gallus gallus evolution study and contributes to the breeding improvement program of native chicken breeds.

Dynamic changes of blood glucose, serum biochemical parameters and gene expression in response to exogenous insulin in Arbor Acres broilers and Silky fowls

Silky chicken is a breed of chickens with black skin and slow growth rate used in Chinese traditional medicine, whereas Arbor Acres broiler is a well-known commercial breed in the poultry industry, it is featured by a large size, rapid-growth rate, high feed-conversion rate and strong adaptability. The difference in their rate of growth may be primarily related to different mechanism for glucose metabolism. Here we compared the insulin sensitivity of the two breeds; we investigated the temporal changes (at 0 min, 120 min and 240 min) of serum insulin and other biochemical parameters and determined the spatio-temporal changes of gene mRNA abundance in response to exogenous insulin (80 μg/kg body weight). The results indicated that: (1) Silky chickens showed stronger blood glucose recovery than broilers in the insulin resistance test. (2) The serum urea level in Silky chickens was twice of broilers; exogenous insulin significantly up-regulated serum uric acid level in Silky fowls in a time-dependent manner and increased serum cholesterol content at 120 min. (3) Two breeds showed distinctly different temporal changed in serum insulin in response to exogenous insulin stimulation. The fasting serum insulin concentration of broilers was three-fold of Silky chickens at the basal state; it decreased significantly after insulin injection and the levels at 120 min and 240 min of broilers were only 23% (P < 0.01) and 14% (P < 0.01) of the basal state, respectively. Whereas the serum insulin content in Silky chickens showed stronger recovery, and the 240 min level was close to the 0 min level. (4) GLUT2, GLUT12, neuropeptide Y and insulin receptor (IR) were predominantly expressed in the liver, pectoralis major, olfactory bulb and pancreas, respectively, where these genes presented stronger insulin sensitivity. In addition, the IR mRNA level was strongly positively with the GLUT12 level. In conclusion, our findings suggested that Silky chickens have a stronger ability to regulate glucose homeostasis than broilers, owing to their higher IR levels in the basal state, stronger serum insulin homeostasis and candidate genes functioning primarily in their predominantly expressed tissue in response to exogenous insulin.

Assessing MHC-B diversity in Silkie chickens

The major histocompatibility complex (MHC) is a highly polymorphic region on chromosome 16, which contains numerous immune response genes, and is known to influence disease susceptibility and resistance in chickens. Variability of MHC-B haplotypes in various well-known and commercially utilized breeds has previously been identified. This study aims to understand MHC-B diversity in the Silkie breed using a high-density SNP panel that encompasses the chicken MHC-B region. DNA was obtained from 74 females and 27 males from a commercial Silkie breeder colony that is maintained through minimal genetic selection practices. A previously described panel of 90 SNPs, all located within the MHC-B region, was used to evaluate MHC-B variability in the commercial Silkie breeder colony. MHC-B haplotypes identified from the individual SNP information in the Silkie colony were compared to published haplotypes from the same region. Of the 27 haplotypes identified in the Silkie population, 8 have been previously described. Nineteen haplotypes are unique to the Silkie population and include one novel recombinant and 2 additional possible novel recombinants. Six haplotypes were found at a frequency greater than 5% of the population, of which 4 are novel. Finally, Hardy Weinberg Equilibrium (HWE) was calculated for the observed haplotypes, which were found to be in HWE. This study shows considerable MHC-B diversity in the Silkie breed and adds further information on variability of the MHC-B region in the chicken.

RNA-Seq Reveals Differentially Expressed Genes and Pathways Affecting Intramuscular Fat Metabolism in Huangshan Black Chicken Population

Intramuscular fat (IMF) plays an important role in meat quality due to its positive correlation with juiciness, tenderness, and flavor. However, for chickens, the molecular mechanisms underlying IMF deposition in thigh muscle have not yet been determined. Here, to identify candidate genes and signaling pathways related to IMF deposition, we deeply explored the chicken transcriptome from thigh muscles of Huangshan Black Chickens with extremely high and low phenotypic values for intramuscular fat content. A total of 128 genes differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were detected, of which 94 were up-regulated and 34 were down-regulated. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways revealed these DEGs (including FABP4, G0S2, PLIN1, SCD1, LFABP, SLC1A6, SLC45A3, ACSBG1, LY86, ST8SIA5, SNAI2, HPGD, EDN2, and THRSP) were significantly enriched in lipid biosynthetic process, steroid biosynthetic and metabolic process, fatty acid metabolic process, and regulation of unsaturated fatty acid metabolic pathways. Additionally, we concluded an interaction network related to lipid metabolism, which might be contributed to the IMF deposition in chicken. Overall, we proposed some new candidate genes and interaction networks that can be associated with IMF deposition and used as biomarkers in meat quality improvement.

Quantitative Variation in Calcium Carbonate Content in Shell of Different Chicken and Duck Varieties

A comparative analysis of calcium carbonate content in the egg shells of eight selected chicken species (Naadankozhi ,Karinkozhi, Giriraja, White leghorn, Black silky, Porukozhi, Naked neck hen and White silkie) and six species of ducks (Vigova, Chara, Chembelli, Plain duck, Nadan Tharavu and Patha Tharavu) were conducted. It was noted that even though higher level of calcium was present in all variety of egg shells, in chicken variety the highest calcium carbonate was noticed in Aseel (Porukozhi) eggshell and it was 92.90% of CaCO3 and the lowest was in Silky's chicken egg shell and it was 86.75% of CaCO3. In duck the highest calcium carbonate was noticed in Plain duck and it was 91% whereas the minimum noted was in Patha Tharavu and its egg shell containing 75% of CaCO3. Amount of calcium carbonate always associated with the hardness and strength of the egg shell. Hence Porukozhi's egg shell has highest hardness and White silkie species has lowest. In ducks plain duck showed high hardness and patha tharavu with minimum.