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Egg white samples from native chicken were collected in 12 local populations in Indonesia. Polymorphisms of egg white protein were analyzed by using starch and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. 1) Polymorphism was found at 5 loci (Ov, G3, G2, TfEW and G1). 2) The variant of lysozyme was detected in only Ungaran population (qG1F=0.853, qG1S=0.147). 3) Average heterozygosities of each local population, subdivision index and genetic distance among local population were estimated as 0.028 to 0.141, 0.076 and 0.001 to 0.037 respectively. Genetic distances and degree of subdivision among local populations in Indonesia except Ungaran population were assumed as small.

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.

In the present study, genomic DNA was prepared from dried chicken blood sample and subsequently used for analyzing DNA fingerprinting (DFP) of native and Red jungle fowl in the South Pacific Islands. These chicken genomic DNAs were sufficient in quantity and purity for multiple DFP analyses, and chicken blood could be stored for up to 3 months without physical degradation under dry condition.The DFP analyses were carried out by individual and population DFP. Similarities of DFP patterns and genetic distances among fowls in Fiji and Western Samoa were estimated using band sharing (BS) value and the mean number of nucleotide substitutions per nucleotide site, respectively. The results of population DFP were under the influence of data in individual DFP. From the BS values and genetic distances, the native fowls in five different islands of Fiji and Western Samoa could be distinguished in each island, and the difference was consistent with geographical distribution. Fijian and Western Samoan native fowls were found to form two separate groups. The Red jungle fowls in Fiji islands were closely related to each other, but were found to be related remotely to Red jungle fowls in Kagoshima University. Therefore, DFP analysis can be used to estimate relative genetic variability and to reconstruct the evolutionary relationships in small populations genetically isolated.

The present study was conducted to clarify the changes of calpain and calpastatin activities in skeletal muscle as a function of growth rate at advancing age of commercial chickens, using male broiler and layer chickens of 2, 4, 6, and 8 weeks of age. The body weight of broilers were significantly greater than those of layers (P

The present study was conducted to know the correlation between both the calpain and calpastatin activities in the skeletal muscle and fractional growth rate (FGR) in normal growth condition using male Satsuma native fowl. FGR was expressed as the ratio of daily gain calculated by the daily gain during 2-3 weeks of age to body weight at 2 weeks of age. The 14 experimental birds with same initial body weight at 2 weeks of age (110g/bird) were selected from 175 birds.The mean of body weight at 3 weeks of age (g) and FGR (%/day) were 207.5±11.9 and 12.66±1.54, respectively. Calpain activities in units/g muscle and units/mg extractable muscle protein were 1.023±0.093 and 0.024±0.004, respectively. The calpastatin activities in units/g muscle and units/mg extractable muscle protein were 0.287±0.027 and 0.013±0.003, respectively. The correlation coefficient between calpain activity in units/g muscle and FGR was -0.66. But, there was no significant correlation between either activities of calpain (units/mg extractable muscle protein) and calpastatin (units/g muscle and units/mg extractable muscle protein) and FGR.

The origin of the domestic fowl and its relationship to the jungle fowl is a continuing interest to the scientists working with poultry. The present study was conducted in order to clarify the relationships among the domestic and jungle fowls using DNA fingerprinting (DFP). These DFP analyses were carried out by mixing equal amounts of DNA from several individuals of a particular population, resulting in a DFP parttern characteristic of the population. Similarities of DFP pattern between breeds or species of fowl were estimated using band sharing (BS) value. From the BS values, the Japanese native stocks and Chinese native stocks were found to form two separate groups, respectively. BS values between Green Jungle Fowl and all other stocks were generally low. Genetic distance among the domestic and jungle fowls was estimated as the mean number of nucleotide substitutions per nucleotide site. The results indicated that Red Jungle Fowl was relatively close to the domestic fowls. On the other hand, Green Jungle Fowl was found to be related most remotely to the domestic fowls. Thus, DFP analysis with mixed DNA could be effectively used to assess the genetic relationship among the stocks of fowls.

This study was conducted in order to estimate the genetic parameters of Calcium Activated Neutral Protease (CANP) activity in the skeletal muscle of Satstuma native fowl (a Japanese native chicken stock). The CANP activity was measured at three weeks of age with alkali-denatured casein as substrate. Genetic parameters of CANP activity in the crude extract of breast muscle were estimated from sib-analysis. Variations among sire families of the CANP activity were both statistically significant (P