ARS | Publication request: SNP IDENTIFICATION AND GENETIC MAPPING OF CHICKEN EPHRIN TYPE-B RECEPTOR 2 GENE TO LINKAGE GROUP E54

Submitted to: Animal Genetics
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: January 23, 2004
Publication Date: May 1, 2004
Citation: Zhang, H.M., Cheng, H.H. 2004. SNP identification and genetic mapping of chicken ephrin type-B receptor 2 gene to linkage group E54. Animal Genetics. 35:162-163.

Interpretive Summary: The poultry industry suffers annual heavy losses before its products reach the market. One of the major causes is disease including viral-induced tumors caused by Marek's disease virus and avian leukosis virus. To battle this major problem, experiments have been conducted to identify, characterize, clone, and map genes that predispose chickens to the genetic resistance or susceptibility to such complex diseases. We developed a genetic assay that enabled us to map a chicken embryo gene coding for a protein termed kinase 5 (Cek5) that is involved in important multiple biological processes including tumor formations. We have also identified eleven novel genetic variants that might be useful in future studies in assessing gene functions and associations with important biological characteristics of chickens. Since tumors are diseases of complex interactions among multi-factors including genetics, this information will help scientists to understand the genetic puzzle of tumors and ultimately select for chickens that are genetically resistant to such diseases.

Technical Abstract: Cek5 (chicken embryo kinase 5) is a receptor tyrosine kinase of the Eph family likely involved in avian visual system development and signal transduction pathways. A role in carcinogenesis and tumorigenesis is also anticipated given a 92% of amino acid homology to its human homolog, Erk (extracellular signal-regulated kinase). A 499'bp segment of Cek5 was amplified, cloned and sequenced with DNA samples from a White Leghorn and a Jungle Fowl as PCR templates. A total of 11 SNPs were identified among a published Cek5 sequence (S81295), our White Leghorn sequence (AY362549) and Jungle Fowl sequence (AY362550). The Cek5 was mapped to the chicken linkage group E54 by a developed PCR-RFLP system. This work extends the conserved synteny between chicken E54 and human chromosome 1.