The tyrosinase (TYR) genes have been accepted as major genes involved in the plumage pigmentation of chickens. Tyrosinase (TYR) gene is located on chromosome 1 in chicken and it is composed of five exons and four introns. TYR gene is described as a key enzyme in melanin biosynthesis. Especially, most examples of color patterns in chicken have been due to differential in the tyrosinase gene. This study was conducted to the association of feather color and sequence polymorphism in the Tyrosinase(TYR) gene was investigated using Korean native chickens(red plumage, red-line plumage, Ogol = KNC) and white leghorn(WL). From WL and KNC breed analyses, 232 differential SNPs were detected in 4th exon and 4th intron of TYR gene respectively. The genotype frequencies for 50 SNPs were compared between KCR, KCRD and KCO represented homozygous SNP types in all the analyzed SNP positions while KNC displayed various SNP types. In this study, we conclude that the variation of a wild type sequence in intron 4 of the tyrosinase gene is pigmentation of the original native chickens in korean. This work was supported by a grant from the “Livestock Preservation of Genetic Resources", Rural Development Administration, Republic of Korea.

Recently, the consumption of chickens meat has been gradually increased in Korea. However, most of the chickens breeds in Korea were imported from overseas. This study was conducted to evaluate the genetic distances and single nucleotide polymorphism by the mtDNA D-loop control analysis method for the Korean native chickens(red plumage, red-line plumage, Ogol) and white leghorn. For the initial investigation of the relationships between Korean native chickens(red plumage(KCR), red-line plumage(KCRD), Ogol(KCO)) with white leghorn breeds, the sequences from D-loop control region in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) was used. The results from phylogenetic analysis indicated that both KNC and white leghorn breeds were classified well with wild duck breeds. However, KCR was not discriminated well with KCRD. The haplotype analysis indicated that KCR and KCO have ten different haplotypes with nineteen SNPs. Three haplotypes (haplotype 1, 2, 3, 5, 17) were shared both in KNC(KCR, KCRD) and KCO. On the other hand, haplotype 4, 6, 7 was appeared only KCR and haplotype 13, 16, 18 were identified only in KCRD population. In addition, haplotype 8, 9, 11, 12, 14, 15, 19 was appeared only KCO. With further verifications, the results presented here can be used for the on servation and commercialization of the Korean native chickens. This work was supported by a grant from the “Livestock Preservation of Genetic Resources", Rural Development Administration, Republic of Korea.

This study was conducted to evaluate the genetic distances and specific DNA makers by the randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD)-PCR method for the Korean native chickens(red plumage, red-line plumage, Ogol) and white leghorn. Genomic DNA was extracted from plumage from chickens after they were slaughtered. The extracted DNA was observed by nano-spectrometer. RAPD analysis was performed using 13 different primers. Statistical analysis was made for the estimation of the genetic distance among the chicken’s and the cluster tree was drawn by using MEGA 5.05 software. Genetic relations among them were determined by RAPD analysis. The polymorphic bands were observed 72% and the rest of 28% was monomorpic. The largest genetic distance (2.266) was found between the native chickens(red, red-line) and the ogol chickens by UPGMAP method and the closest distance was observed between the ogol in korean chickens as expected. The highest genetic distance between them was estimated 2.266 and in the dendrogram analysis, among I and II within cluster II, most of the ogol chickens were in IIB, indicating the expression of the ogol color could be due to original and the ancestral genetic crossing. Thus, this genetic distance can be useful as the differential genomic information in the normal(red plumage, red-line plumage) and ogol of korean native chickens. This work was supported by a grant from the “Livestock Preservation of Genetic Resources", Rural Development Administration, Republic of Korea.