Characterization of Major Histocompatibility Complex Genes in Jungle Fowls, Genus Gallus

Abstract

Chicken major histocompatibility complex (Mhc) is smaller in size and contains fewer genes than does mammal Mhc. To clarify the characters of Mhc genes in junglefowls as the ancestral species of domestic chickens, we analyzed their Mhc class I B-F and Mhc class IV B-G genes using the restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs) method in addition to comparing the B blood types of Red junglefowls and Green junglefowls. The B blood types were quite different between the two species of junglefowls. Green junglefowl had small variation of B blood types, almost Green junglefowls reacted with all of the B antisera, BABCDEGIKLMT.Using the B-G gene probe gene 8.5 in RFLPs, many bands were observed in the junglefowls. The RFLPs patterns based on B-G genes as the probes of Red junglefowls and Green junglefowls were quite different patterns within the same B blood type as determined by hemagglutination. On the contrary, the RFLPs of regions of Green junglefowls showed the same patterns regardless of chicken B blood types. We suggest that the Mhc class I B-F and Mhc class IV B-G genes might not be affected by their history of domestication from junglefowls, and artificial selection only reduced the number of B-G genes.

Keywords

• b blood type
• domestication
• junglefowl
• major histocompatibility complex gene
• restriction fragment length polymorphisms