Factors affecting gene expression associated with the skin color of black-bone chicken in Thailand

Panuwat Khumpeerawat; Monchai Duangjinda; Yupin Phasuk

doi:10.1016/j.psj.2021.101440

Factors affecting gene expression associated with the skin color of black-bone chicken in Thailand

Poult Sci. 2021 Nov;100(11):101440. doi: 10.1016/j.psj.2021.101440. Epub 2021 Aug 19.

Authors

Panuwat Khumpeerawat¹, Monchai Duangjinda², Yupin Phasuk³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agricultural, Khon Kaen University, Mueang Khon Kaen 40000, Thailand.
² Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agricultural, Khon Kaen University, Mueang Khon Kaen 40000, Thailand; Network Center for Animal Breeding and Omics Research, Faculty of Agricultural, Khon Kaen University, Mueang Khon Kaen 40000, Thailand. Electronic address: monchai@kku.ac.th.
³ Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agricultural, Khon Kaen University, Mueang Khon Kaen 40000, Thailand; Network Center for Animal Breeding and Omics Research, Faculty of Agricultural, Khon Kaen University, Mueang Khon Kaen 40000, Thailand.

Abstract

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of breed, sex, and age on the gene expression level of melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R), DOPA chrome tautomerase (DCT), tyrosinase-related protein 1 (TYRP1), tyrosinase (TYR), and agouti signaling protein (ASIP) genes in Thai commercial chicken lines. All chicken have received Newscastle vaccination, and no antibiotics or any drugs were used in this study. Four chicken breeds including Black-Chinese, KU-Phuparn, Sri Mok, and Pradu Hang Dam were used in this study. These breeds can be classified by their skin color into 3 group including black (Black Chinese and KU-Phuparn), light black (Sri Mok), and yellowish white (Pradu Hang Dam). One hundred chickens per breed were used in this study. Breast skin tissue was randomly collected from 8 chickens (4 males, 4 females) per breed at 4, 8, 12, and 16 wk of age. The mRNA expression was analyzed using qRT-PCR and the gene expression level was calculated as 2^-ΔΔCT. From the results, breed significantly (P < 0.01) affected the expression level for the 5 genes evaluated. Birds with the black skin color had greater TYRP1 and TYR gene expression when compared to chickens with light black and yellowish-white skin color, respectively. Whereas, chickens with yellowish-white skin color had greater ASIP gene expression when compared to chickens having the other skin colors. Sex significantly affected DCT, TYRP1, and TYR gene expression where the gene expression in males was greater when compared to females (P < 0.05). Age affected all gene expression levels (P < 0.01). At 4 wk of age, MC1R, DCT, TYRP1, and TYR gene expression was the highest and decreased as bird age increased (P < 0.05); however, ASIP gene expression was greatest at 8 wk of age. After 8 wk of age all gene expression for the genes evaluated in this study decreased as age increased. In addition, an interaction between breed and sex (P < 0.05) impacted DCT and ASIP gene expression. The results from this study showed that all genes evaluated can be used as candidate markers to further improve the blackness of the chicken's skin because the most desired skin color is black in the Thai black-bone chicken population.

Keywords: black-bone chicken; factor; gene expression; skin color.

MeSH terms

Agouti Signaling Protein / genetics
Animals
Chickens* / genetics
Color
Female
Gene Expression
Male
Skin Pigmentation* / genetics
Thailand

Substances

Agouti Signaling Protein