Cloning of genes controlling quail plumage pigmentation and their expression

本研究以羽毛颜色为黑色的突变体Bh为材料，研究了羽毛着色中花纹形成的分子机制。从2003年和2004年的研究中得到了以下结论：1.克隆了鹌鹑α-msh及其受体(Mc1R)和刺鼠蛋白的cDNA。2.Bh基因定位于1号染色体长臂(FISH分析)。3.利用鸡基因组进行生物信息学分析和对Bh鹌鹑的连锁分析表明，Bh基因可能位于1号染色体上的MHD1B3和Q1H3orf1之间。

The present study with quail Bh (black at hatch) mutants was undertaken to reveal molecular mechanisms of pattern formation in plumage pigmentation. The following conclusions were obtained from the studies carried out in 2003 and 2004 :1.Quail cDNAs for α-MSH, its receptor (MC1R) and agouti protein were cloned. Although the localization of their mRNAs is not related to the plumage pigmentation pattern, α-MSH produced in epidermal cells can work on melanocytes expressing MC1R in feather germs, leading to melanin production.2.The Bh gene maps to the long-arm of chromosome 1 (FISH analysis).3.Bioinformatics analysis using the chicken genome and linkage analysis in Bh quails showed that the Bh gene may be located between MHD1B3 and Q1H3orf1 in chromosome 1.