Association of the thyroid hormone responsive spot 14 alpha gene with growth-related traits in Korean native chicken.

OBJECTIVE: Thyroid hormone responsive spot 14 alpha (THRSP) has been used to investigate the regulation of de novo lipogenesis because the variation of THRSP mRNA content in the tissue affects directly the ability of that tissue to synthetize lipids. Also, this gene responds to thyroid hormone stimulation and high level of carbohydrate feeding or insulin-injection. This study was carried out to investigate variations within THRSP and their effects on body and carcass weights in Korean native chicken (KNC). METHODS: A total of 585 chickens which represent the five lines of KNC (Black, Gray-Brown, Red-Brown, White, and Yellow-Brown) were reared and body weight data were recorded every two weeks from hatch until 20 weeks of age. Polymerase chain reaction- restriction fragment length polymorphism, DNA chips for Agilent 2100 Bioanalyzer, and Fluidigm Genotyping Technology, were applied to genotype selected markers. A linear mixed-effect model was used to access association between these single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers and growth-related traits. RESULTS: A total of 30 polymorphisms were investigated in THRSP. Of these, nine SNPs for loci were selected to perform association analyses. Significant associations were detected between g.-49G>T SNP with body weight at 20 weeks of age (BW20), g.451T>C SNP with growth at 10 to 12 weeks of age (GR10-12), and g.1432A>C SNP with growth at 14 to 16 weeks trait (GR14-16) and body weight at 18 weeks of age (BW18). Moreover, diplotype of the THRSP gene significantly affected body weight at 12 weeks of age (BW12) and GR10-12 traits. Diplotype of ht1/ht2 was favorable for BW12 and GR10-12 traits. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that THRSP can be regarded as a candidate gene for growth traits in KNC.

POU class 1 homeobox 1 gene polymorphisms associated with growth traits in Korean native chicken.

OBJECTIVE: POU class 1 homeobox 1 (POU1F1) mediates growth hormone expression and activity by altering transcription, eventually resulting in growth rate variations. Therefore, we aimed to identify chicken POU1F1 polymorphisms and evaluate the association between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and growth-related traits, and logistic growth curve parameter traits (α, ß, and γ). METHODS: Three SNPs (M_1 to M_3) were used to genotype 585 F1 and 88 F0 birds from five Korean native chicken lines using a polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism method. RESULTS: Single marker analyses and traits association analyses showed that M_2 was significantly associated with body weight at two weeks, weight gain from hatch to 2 weeks, and weight gain from 16 to 18 weeks (p<0.05). M_3 was significantly associated with weight gain from 14 to 16 weeks and from 16 to 18 weeks, and asymptotic body weight (α) (p<0.05). No traits were associated with M_1. The POU1F1 haplogroups were significantly associated with weight gain from 14 to 16 weeks (p = 0.020). Linkage disequilibrium test and Haploview analysis shown one main haploblock between M_2 and M_3 SNP. CONCLUSION: Thus, POU1F1 significantly affects the growth of Korean native chickens and their growth curve traits.

Identification of quantitative trait loci for the fatty acid composition in Korean native chicken.

OBJECTIVE: Fatty acid composition is one of the most important meat quality traits because it can contribute to functional, sensorial, and nutritional factors. In this study, quantitative trait locus (QTL) analyses for fatty acid composition traits were investigated in thigh and breast meat of Korean native chicken (KNC). METHODS: In total, 18 fatty acid composition traits were investigated from each meat sample using 83 parents, and 595 F1 chicks of 20 week old. Genotype assessment was performed using 171 informative DNA markers on 26 autosomes. The KNC linkage map was constructed by CRI-MAP software, which calculated genetic distances, with map orders between markers. The half-sib and full-sib QTL analyses were performed using GridQTL and SOLAR programs, respectively. RESULTS: In total, 30 QTLs (12 in the thigh and 18 in the breast meat) were detected by the half-sib analysis and 7 QTLs (3 in the thigh and 4 in the breast meat) were identified by the full-sib analysis. CONCLUSION: With further verification of the QTL regions using additional markers and positional candidate gene studies, these results can provide valuable information for determining causative mutations affecting the fatty acid composition of KNC meat. Moreover, these findings may aid in the selection of birds with favorable fatty acid composition traits.

Estimation of heritability and genetic correlation of body weight gain and growth curve parameters in Korean native chicken.

OBJECTIVE: This study estimated the genetic parameters for body weight gain and growth curve parameter traits in Korean native chicken (KNC). METHODS: A total of 585 F1 chickens were used along with 88 of their F0 birds. Body weights were measured every 2 weeks from hatching to 20 weeks of age to measure weight gain at 2-week intervals. For each individual, a logistic growth curve model was fitted to the longitudinal growth dataset to obtain three growth curve parameters (α, asymptotic final body weight; ß, inflection point; and γ, constant scale that was proportional to the overall growth rate). Genetic parameters were estimated based on the linear-mixed model using a restricted maximum likelihood method. RESULTS: Heritability estimates of body weight gain traits were low to high (0.057 to 0.458). Heritability estimates for α, ß, and γ were 0.211±0.08, 0.249±0.09, and 0.095±0.06, respectively. Both genetic and phenotypic correlations between weight gain traits ranged from -0.527 to 0.993. Genetic and phenotypic correlation between the growth curve parameters and weight gain traits ranged from -0.968 to 0.987. CONCLUSION: Based on the results of this study population, we suggest that the KNC could be used for selective breeding between 6 and 8 weeks of age to enhance the overall genetic improvement of growth traits. After validation of these results in independent studies, these findings will be useful for further optimization of breeding programs for KNC.

Assessment of genetic diversity and phylogenetic relationships of Korean native chicken breeds using microsatellite markers.

OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted to investigate the basic information on genetic structure and characteristics of Korean Native chickens (NC) and foreign breeds through the analysis of the pure chicken populations and commercial chicken lines of the Hanhyup Company which are popular in the NC market, using the 20 microsatellite markers. METHODS: In this study, the genetic diversity and phylogenetic relationships of 445 NC from five different breeds (NC, Leghorn [LH], Cornish [CS], Rhode Island Red [RIR], and Hanhyup [HH] commercial line) were investigated by performing genotyping using 20 microsatellite markers. RESULTS: The highest genetic distance was observed between RIR and LH (18.9%), whereas the lowest genetic distance was observed between HH and NC (2.7%). In the principal coordinates analysis (PCoA) illustrated by the first component, LH was clearly separated from the other groups. The correspondence analysis showed close relationship among individuals belonging to the NC, CS, and HH lines. From the STRUCTURE program, the presence of 5 clusters was detected and it was found that the proportion of membership in the different clusters was almost comparable among the breeds with the exception of one breed (HH), although it was highest in LH (0.987) and lowest in CS (0.578). For the cluster 1 it was high in HH (0.582) and in CS (0.368), while for the cluster 4 it was relatively higher in HH (0.392) than other breeds. CONCLUSION: Our study showed useful genetic diversity and phylogenetic relationship data that can be utilized for NC breeding and development by the commercial chicken industry to meet consumer demands.

Genome scan linkage analysis identifies quantitative trait loci affecting serum clinical-chemical traits in Korean native chicken.

Alterations in robustness- and health-related traits lead to physiological changes, such as changes in the serum clinical chemical parameters in individuals. Therefore, clinical-chemical traits can be used as biomarkers to examine the health status of chickens. The aim of the present study was to detect the quantitative trait loci (QTLs) influencing eight clinical-chemical traits (glucose, total protein, creatinine, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, total cholesterol, glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase, glutamic pyruvic transaminase, and α-amylase) in an F1 nuclear families comprising 83 F0 founders and 585 F1 progeny of Korean native chickens. Genotypic data on 135 DNA markers representing 26 autosomes have been generated for this resource pedigree. The total length of the map was 2729.4 cM. We used a multipoint variance component linkage approach to identify QTLs for the traits. A significant QTL affecting serum α-amylase levels was identified on chicken chromosome (GGA) 7 [logarithm of odds (LOD) = 3.02, P value = 1.92 × 10(-4)]. Additionally, we detected several suggestive linkage signals for the levels of total cholesterol, glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase, glutamic pyruvic transaminase, and creatinine on GGA 4, 12, 13, and 15. In this study, serum α-amylase levels related significant QTL was mapped on GGA7 and cholesterol, glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase, glutamic pyruvic transaminase, and creatinine traits related suggestive QTLs were detected on GGA4, 12, 13 and 15, respectively. Further verification and fine mapping of these identified QTLs can provide valuable information for understanding the variations of clinical chemical trait in chickens.

Antioxidant Enzyme Activity, Iron Content and Lipid Oxidation of Raw and Cooked Meat of Korean Native Chickens and Other Poultry.

This study was conducted to observe antioxidant enzyme activity, iron content and lipid oxidation of Korean native chickens and other poultry. The breast and thigh meat of three Korean native chicken breeds including Woorimatdak, Hyunin black and Yeonsan ogye, and three commercial poultry breeds including the broiler, White Leghorn and Pekin duck (Anasplatyrhyncos domesticus) were studied. The analyses of the antioxidant enzymes activity, iron content and lipid oxidation were performed in raw and cooked samples. The activity of catalase (CAT) in the thigh meat was higher than that of the breast meat of three Korean native chickens and the broiler, respectively. The activity of glutathione peroxidase (GPx) in the uncooked thigh meat of three Korean native chickens was higher than that of the breasts. The breast meat of Woorimatdak and Pekin duck had higher superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity than the others, while only the thigh meat of Pekin duck had the highest activity. Cooking inactivated CAT and decreased the activity of GPx and SOD. The thigh meat of Woorimatdak, White Leghorn, Yeonsan ogye and Hyunin black contained more total iron than the breast meat of those breeds. The heme-iron lost during cooking ranged from 3.2% to 14.8%. It is noted that the thigh meat had higher thiobarbituric acid reactive substances values than the breast in all chicken breeds. Though Woorimatdak showed higher antioxidant enzyme activity and lower released-iron percentage among Korean native chickens, no differences were found on lipid oxidation. We confirm that the dark meat of poultry exhibited higher antioxidant enzyme activity and contained more iron than the white meat.

Variance Component Quantitative Trait Locus Analysis for Body Weight Traits in Purebred Korean Native Chicken.

Quantitative trait locus (QTL) is a particular region of the genome containing one or more genes associated with economically important quantitative traits. This study was conducted to identify QTL regions for body weight and growth traits in purebred Korean native chicken (KNC). F1 samples (n = 595) were genotyped using 127 microsatellite markers and 8 single nucleotide polymorphisms that covered 2,616.1 centi Morgan (cM) of map length for 26 autosomal linkage groups. Body weight traits were measured every 2 weeks from hatch to 20 weeks of age. Weight of half carcass was also collected together with growth rate. A multipoint variance component linkage approach was used to identify QTLs for the body weight traits. Two significant QTLs for growth were identified on chicken chromosome 3 (GGA3) for growth 16 to18 weeks (logarithm of the odds [LOD] = 3.24, Nominal p value = 0.0001) and GGA4 for growth 6 to 8 weeks (LOD = 2.88, Nominal p value = 0.0003). Additionally, one significant QTL and three suggestive QTLs were detected for body weight traits in KNC; significant QTL for body weight at 4 weeks (LOD = 2.52, nominal p value = 0.0007) and suggestive QTL for 8 weeks (LOD = 1.96, Nominal p value = 0.0027) were detected on GGA4; QTLs were also detected for two different body weight traits: body weight at 16 weeks on GGA3 and body weight at 18 weeks on GGA19. Additionally, two suggestive QTLs for carcass weight were detected at 0 and 70 cM on GGA19. In conclusion, the current study identified several significant and suggestive QTLs that affect growth related traits in a unique resource pedigree in purebred KNC. This information will contribute to improving the body weight traits in native chicken breeds, especially for the Asian native chicken breeds.

A Major Locus for Quantitatively Measured Shank Skin Color Traits in Korean Native Chicken.

Shank skin color of Korean native chicken (KNC) shows large color variations. It varies from white, yellow, green, bluish or grey to black, whilst in the majority of European breeds the shanks are typically yellow-colored. Three shank skin color-related traits (i.e., lightness [L*], redness [a*], and yellowness [b*]) were measured by a spectrophotometer in 585 progeny from 68 nuclear families in the KNC resource population. We performed genome scan linkage analysis to identify loci that affect quantitatively measured shank skin color traits in KNC. All these birds were genotyped with 167 DNA markers located throughout the 26 autosomes. The SOLAR program was used to conduct multipoint variance-component quantitative trait locus (QTL) analyses. We detected a major QTL that affects b* value (logarithm of odds [LOD] = 47.5, p = 1.60×10-49) on GGA24 (GGA for Gallus gallus). At the same location, we also detected a QTL that influences a* value (LOD = 14.2, p = 6.14×10-16). Additionally, beta-carotene dioxygenase 2 (BCDO2), the obvious positional candidate gene under the linkage peaks on GGA24, was investigated by the two association tests: i.e., measured genotype association (MGA) and quantitative transmission disequilibrium test (QTDT). Significant associations were detected between BCDO2 g.9367 A>C and a* (PMGA = 1.69×10-28; PQTDT = 2.40×10-25). The strongest associations were between BCDO2 g.9367 A>C and b* (PMGA = 3.56×10-66; PQTDT = 1.68×10-65). However, linkage analyses conditional on the single nucleotide polymorphism indicated that other functional variants should exist. Taken together, we demonstrate for the first time the linkage and association between the BCDO2 locus on GGA24 and quantitatively measured shank skin color traits in KNC.

Endogenous functional compounds in Korean native chicken meat are dependent on sex, thermal processing and meat cut.

BACKGROUND: In this study the effects of sex, meat cut and thermal processing on the carnosine, anserine, creatine, betaine and carnitine contents of Korean native chicken (KNC) meat were determined. Forty 1-day-old chicks (20 chicks of each sex) from a commercial KNC strain (Woorimatdag™) were reared under similar standard commercial conditions with similar diets, and ten birds of each sex were randomly selected and slaughtered at 14 weeks of age. Raw and cooked meat samples were prepared from both breast and leg meats and analyzed for the aforementioned functional compounds. RESULTS: Female KNCs had significantly higher betaine and creatine contents. The breast meat showed significantly higher carnosine and anserine contents, whereas the leg meat had a higher betaine and carnitine content. The content of all functional compounds was significantly depleted by thermal processing. CONCLUSION: This study confirms that KNC meat is a good source of the above-mentioned functional compounds, which can be considered attractive nutritional quality factors. However, their concentrations were significantly affected by thermal processing conditions, meat cut and sex. Further experiments are needed to select the best thermal processing method to preserve these functional compounds.

Changes in endogenous bioactive compounds of Korean native chicken meat at different ages and during cooking.

This study aimed to examine the effect of bird age on the contents of endogenous bioactive compounds, including carnosine, anserine, creatine, betaine, and carnitine, in meat from a certified meat-type commercial Korean native chicken strain (KNC; Woorimatdag). Additionally, the effects of the meat type (breast or leg meat) and the state of the meat (raw or cooked) were examined. Cocks of KNC were raised under similar standard commercial conditions at a commercial chicken farm. At various ages (10, 11, 12, 13, and 14 wk), breast and leg meats from a total of 10 birds from each age group were obtained. Raw and cooked meat samples were then prepared separately and analyzed for bioactive compounds. The age of the KNC had a significant effect only on the betaine content. The breast meat of KNC had higher amounts of carnosine and anserine but had lower amounts of betaine and carnitine than the leg meat (P < 0.05). The KNC meat lost significant amounts of all bioactive compounds during cooking (P < 0.05). Leg meat had high retention percentages of carnosine and anserine after cooking, whereas breast meat showed almost complete retention of betaine and carnitine. The results of this study provide useful and rare information regarding the presence, amounts, and determinants of endogenous bioactive compounds in KNC meat, which can be useful for selection and breeding programs, and also for popularizing indigenous chicken meat.

Comparison of the amounts of taste-related compounds in raw and cooked meats from broilers and Korean native chickens.

This study was aimed at comparing the taste-related compound content in the breast and leg meat from 100-d-old Korean native chickens (KNC-100) and 32-d-old commercial broilers (CB-32) and determining the changes in these compounds during cooking. Cocks from certified meat-type commercial broiler (Ross) and Korean native chicken (Woorimatdag) strains were raised under similar standard commercial conditions, and a total of 10 birds from each breed were slaughtered at 32 and 100 d of age, which represents their market ages, respectively. Raw and cooked meat samples were prepared separately from the breast and leg and analyzed. The KNC-100 showed significantly higher concentrations of inosine 5'-monophosphate, reducing sugars, glutamic acid, linoleic acid, arachidonic acid, and docosahexaenoic acid than CB-32 did. Additionally, significantly higher inosine 5'-monophosphate, cysteine, arachidonic acid, and docosahexaenoic acid concentrations were observed in the breast meat, whereas the leg meat had higher concentration of glutamic acid, oleic acid, and linoleic acid (P < 0.05). Significant depletions in the concentration of all taste-related compounds occurred during the cooking process, except oleic and linoleic acids. We suggest that the higher levels of taste-related compounds present in KNC-100 meat compared with CB-32 meat may result in the unique taste of the former meat, as has been previously reported. In addition, the results of this study may provide useful information for selection and breeding programs.

Genetic diversity and relationships of korean chicken breeds based on 30 microsatellite markers.

The effective management of endangered animal genetic resources is one of the most important concerns of modern breeding. Evaluation of genetic diversity and relationship of local breeds is an important factor towards the identification of unique and valuable genetic resources. This study aimed to analyze the genetic diversity and population structure of six Korean native chicken breeds (n = 300), which were compared with three imported breeds in Korea (n = 150). For the analysis of genetic diversity, 30 microsatellite markers from FAO/ISAG recommended diversity panel or previously reported microsatellite markers were used. The number of alleles ranged from 2 to 15 per locus, with a mean of 8.13. The average observed heterozygosity within native breeds varied between 0.46 and 0.59. The overall heterozygote deficiency (F IT) in native chicken was 0.234±0.025. Over 30.7% of F IT was contributed by within-population deficiency (F IS). Bayesian clustering analysis, using the STRUCTURE software suggested 9 clusters. This study may provide the background for future studies to identify the genetic uniqueness of the Korean native chicken breeds.

Association of HNMT gene polymorphisms with carnosine content in red-brown Korean native chickens.

Objective: Carnosine and anserine affect the meat flavor. The contents of carnosine and anserine in meat are affected by genetic and environmental factors. This study aimed to discover the single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the HNMT and HNMT-like genes and to associate them with the content of carnosine and anserine in Korean native chicken-red brown line (KNC-R ). Methods: This study used a total of 384 birds (males, n=192; females, n=192) aged 10 weeks old, for genotyping HNMT and HNMT-like genes. One synonymous SNP (rs29009298C/T) of the HNMT gene was genotyped by PCR-RFLP methods whereas four missense SNPs (rs734406537G/A; rs736514667A/G; rs15881680G/A and rs316765035T/C) of the HNMT gene, and one missense SNP rs737657949A/C of the HNMT-like gene were genotyped by PACE genotyping technology. Two-way ANOVA of the R program was used to associate HNMT genotypes with the contents of carnosine and anserine in KNC- R chickens. Results: There were significant associations (p<0.05) between the genotypes of the synonymous SNP:rs29009298C/T, missense SNP rs736514667A/G of the HNMT gene and the content of carnosine in KNC-Rs. This study also reported the sex effect on the carnosine content, where females had more content of carnosine compared to that of male KNC-R. Conclusion: Two SNPs (synonymous: rs735769522C/T) and missense: rs736514667A/G) in the HNMT gene might be used as genetic markers in the selection and breeding of chickens with better taste and high-flavored meat.

Comparative effects of dietary herbal mixture or guanidinoacetic acid supplementation on growth performance, cecal microbiota, blood profile, excreta gas emission, and meat quality in Hanhyup-3-ho chicken.

Phytogenic feed additives are renowned for their growth promotion, gut health enhancement, and disease prevention properties, which is important factors for sustaining prolonged poultry rearing. The study aimed to evaluate the effect of herbal mixture (mixture of ginseng and artichoke) or guanidinoacetic acid (GAA) on growth performance, cecal microbiota, excretal gas emission, blood profile, and meat quality in Hanhyup-3-ho chicken. A total of 360 one-day-old chickens (half males and half females) were allocated into one of 3 dietary treatments (12 replicate cages/treatment; 10 broilers/replicate cage) for 100 d of age. Experimental diets were CON: basal diet; TRT1: basal diet combined with 0.05% herbal mixture; and TRT2: basal diet combined with 0.06% GAA. All birds received a basal diet during the first 30 d, but from d 31 to 100, an experimental diet was supplied. The addition of 0.05% herbal mixture improved the average body weight gain and feed conversion ratio from d 31 to 100 as well as the overall experimental period. The cecal Lactobacillus, Escherichia coli, and Salmonella count remained consistent across all dietary treatments. Blood albumin and Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) levels increased in the herbal mixture supplemented diet. Additionally, there was a notable reduction in excretal NH3 and H2S emissions in the herbal mixture group. Furthermore, the herbal mixture group exhibited increased breast muscle weight, improved breast muscle color, improved water holding capacity, and a decrease in abdominal fat compared to the control group. Additionally, the supplementation of 0.06% GAA did not demonstrate any statistically significant impact on any evaluated parameter throughout the experiment. The results from the present investigation underscore the potential of ginseng together with artichoke extract supplementation as a viable feed additive, conferring improvements in growth performance, feed efficiency, excreta gas emission, meat quality parameters, and defense mechanism against oxidative stress in Hanhyup-3-ho chicken.

Identification and comparison of aroma and taste-related compounds from breast meat of three breeds of Korean native chickens.

This study was aimed to identify and compare the taste-related compounds (nucleotide-related compounds, free amino acid contents, and fatty acid composition) and aroma (volatile organic compounds [VOC]) compounds in the chicken breast meat from 3 kinds of Korean native chicken (KNC), namely Hanhyup 3 (HH3), Woorimatdag 1 (WRMD1) and Woorimatdag 2 (WRMD2). Among the 3 breeds, WRMD1 had significantly higher IMP and AMP contents than HH3. WRMD2 exhibited higher levels of umami and sweet-taste amino acids and oleic acid composition compared to HH3 (P < 0.05). HH3 showed a higher composition of unsaturated fatty acids than WRMD2 (P < 0.05). On their discrimination by flavor composition, some compounds including aspartic acid were analyzed as important compounds. Regarding aroma compounds, unique aroma compounds were detected for each breed and some compounds such as isopropyl myristate, p-cresol, (S)-(+)-3-Methyl-1-pentanol, and cyclic octa-atomic sulfur were expected to be utilized as key compounds in discrimination of the 3 breeds. From the result of this study, the differences on the flavor compounds of three breeds were elucidated and key compounds for their discrimination were presented.

Runs of homozygosity analysis for selection signatures in the Yellow Korean native chicken.

Objective: Yellow Korean native chicken (KNC-Y) is one of the five pure Korean indigenous chicken breeds that were restored through a government project in 1992. KNC-Y is recognized for its superior egg production performance compared to other KNC lines. In this study, we performed runs of homozygosity (ROH) analysis to discover selection signatures associated with egg production traits in the KNC-Y population. Methods: A total of 675 DNA samples from KNC-Y were genotyped to generate single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) data using custom 60K Affymetrix SNP chips. ROH analysis was performed using PLINK software, with predefined parameters set for the analysis. The threshold of ROH island was defined as the top 1% frequency of SNPs withing the ROH among the population. Results: In the KNC-Y population, a total of 29,958 runs of homozygosity (ROH) fragments were identified. The average total length of ROH was 120.84 Mb, with each ROH fragment having an average length of 2.71 Mb. The calculated ROH-based inbreeding coefficient (FROH) was 0.13. Furthermore, we revealed the presence of ROH islands on chromosomes 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, and 11. Within the identified regions, a total of 113 genes were annotated, and among them were genes related to economic traits, including PRMT3, ANO5, HDAC4, LSS, PLA2G4A, and PTGS2. Most of the overlapping quantitative trait locus (QTL) regions with ROH islands were found to be associated with production traits. Conclusion: This study conducted a comprehensive analysis of ROH in the KNC-Y population. Notably, among the findings, the PTGS2 gene is believed to play a crucial role in influencing the laying performance of KNC-Y.

Genome-wide association studies of anserine and carnosine contents in the breast meat of Korean native chickens.

Histidine-containing dipeptides (HCDs), such as anserine and carnosine, are enormously beneficial to human health and contribute to the meat flavor in chickens. Meat quality traits, including flavor, are polygenic traits with medium to high heritability. Polygenic traits can be improved through a better understanding of their genetic mechanisms. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) constitute an effective genomic tool to identify the significant single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and potential candidate genes related to various traits of interest in chickens. This study identified potential candidate genes influencing the anserine and carnosine contents in chicken meat through GWAS. We performed GWAS of anserine and carnosine using the Illumina chicken 60K SNP chip (Illumina Inc., San Diego, CA) in 637 Korean native chicken-red-brown line (KNC-R) birds consisting of 228 males and 409 females. The contents of anserine and carnosine in breast meat of KNC-R chickens were investigated. The mean value of the anserine and carnosine are 29.12 mM/g and 10.69 mM/g respectively. The genomic heritabilities were moderate (0.24) for anserine and high (0.43) for carnosine contents. Four and nine SNPs were significantly (P < 0.05) associated with anserine and carnosine, respectively. Based on the GWAS result, the 30.6 to 31.9 Mb region on chicken chromosome 7 was commonly associated with both anserine and carnosine. Through the functional annotation analysis, we identified HNMT and HNMT-like genes as potential candidate genes associated with both anserine and carnosine. The results presented here will contribute to the ongoing improvement of meat quality to satisfy current consumer demands, which are based on healthier, better-flavored, and higher-quality chicken meat.

Phylogenetic Analysis of a Privately-owned Korean Native Chicken Population Using mtDNA D-loop Variations.

The use of Korean native chicken is increasing, and the discovery of new genetic resources is very important from both economic and genetic conservation points of view. In this study, mtDNA D-loop sequences from 272 privately-owned Korean native chickens from a Hyunin farm were investigated. Seventeen nucleotide substitutions were identified from the sequence analysis and they were classified as 6 haplotypes. Previously investigated haplotypes in five Korean native chicken populations have been compared with the Hyunin chicken population. The results indicated that two haplotypes, H10 and H15, in the Hyunin chicken population were not previously identified in other Korean native chicken populations, representing 33.09% (90/272) and 1.1% (3/272) of the Hyunin population, respectively. On the other hand, four other haplotypes were identical to those of a previous study of Korean native chicken populations. This result is indicative of conservation strategies of Hyunin chicken populations for expanding the genetic diversity in the Korean native chicken population.

Discrimination of korean native chicken lines using fifteen selected microsatellite markers.

In order to evaluate the genetic diversity and discrimination among five Korean native chicken lines, a total of 86 individuals were genotyped using 150 microsatellite (MS) markers, and 15 highly polymorphic MS markers were selected. Based on the highest value of the number of alleles, the expected heterozygosity (He) and polymorphic information content (PIC) for the selected markers ranged from 6 to 12, 0.466 to 0.852, 0.709 to 0.882 and 0.648 to 0.865, respectively. Using these markers, the calculated genetic distance (Fst), the heterozygote deficit among chicken lines (Fit) and the heterozygote deficit within chicken line (Fis) values ranged from 0.0309 to 0.2473, 0.0013 to 0.4513 and -0.1002 to 0.271, respectively. The expected probability of identity values in random individuals (PI), random half-sib (PI half-sibs ) and random sibs (PI sibs ) were estimated at 7.98×10(-29), 2.88×10(-20) and 1.25×10(-08), respectively, indicating that these markers can be used for traceability systems in Korean native chickens. The unrooted phylogenetic neighbor-joining (NJ) tree was constructed using 15 MS markers that clearly differentiated among the five native chicken lines. Also, the structure was estimated by the individual clustering with the K value of 5. The selected 15 MS markers were found to be useful for the conservation, breeding plan, and traceability system in Korean native chickens.