Skip to main content
ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #154189
Title: LINKAGE MAPPING OF FOUR CHICKEN CALPAIN GENES

Author
item OKUMURA, F
item SHIMOGIRI, T
item SHINBO, Y
item YOSHIZAWA, K
item KAWABE, K
item MANNEN, H
item OKAMOTO, S
item Cheng, Hans
item MAEDA, Y

Submitted to: Journal of Animal Science Supplement
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/14/2004
Publication Date: 11/1/2005
Citation: Okumura, F., Shimogiri, T., Shinbo, Y., Yoshizawa, K., Kawabe, K., Mannen, H., Okamoto, S., Cheng, H.H., Maeda, Y. 2005. Linkage mapping of four chicken calpain genes. Animal Science Journal. 76:121-127.

Interpretive Summary: Growth rate and meat quality are very important agronomic traits for the poultry and livestock industries. Calpains are a family of proteases (protein enzymes) known to influence muscle growth and turnover. In this paper, four calpain genes were mapped to specific location on chicken chromosomes. This information will help determine if calpain genes account for differences in growth and meat quality traits between various broiler (meat) chicken lines. Furthermore, the mapping of the calpain genes extends the coverage of the chicken genetic map, and the amount of observed conservation between the human and chicken genomes, which helps in identifying other chicken genes by virtue of their human counterparts.

Technical Abstract: Calpains are intracellular Ca2+ dependent proteases. In this study, we identified polymorphisms in four calpain genes (CAPN1, CAPN2, CAPN3, and CAPN1.5) expressed ubiquitously in chicken, and mapped them using two backcross families, East Lansing (EL) and Kobe University (KU)]. CAPN2 and CAPN1.5 mapped to two locations on GGA3 about 30 cM apart. CAPN2 extends the amount of conserved synteny with HSA1. CAPN3 mapped to GGA5, and this region was syntenic with HSA15. CAPN1 was linked to a previously unlinked microsatellite marker LEI0140 to form a new linkage group called E66.