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POULTRY GENOMICS PAPERS MAP PROGRESS AND CURRENT UNDERSTANDING OF CHICKEN GENETICS AND GENOMICS, AND THEIR IMPACT ON THE POULTRY INDUSTRY AND BEYOND
December Issue of PSA's Poultry Science to Carry Series of Major Articles on Molecular Genetics Based Research on the Chicken
SAVOY, IL (November 7, 2006) – In 2004 the chicken became the first farm animal in history to have its complete genome sequenced, marking more than a century of progress in understanding one of America's favorite foods and one of the most valuable animal models for fundamental scientific investigation. Poultry Science, a research journal published monthly by The Poultry Science Association (PSA), is fêting this achievement by publishing a series of papers on poultry genomics in its upcoming December 2006 issue.
Knowledge of the complete chicken genome sequence provides scientists with unprecedented opportunities to understand the complex molecular genetic control of biological traits in chickens – a fact representing tremendous possibilities for the poultry industry and, ultimately, the consumer. In addition, because they have traditionally capitalized on the amenable nature of the chicken to genetic studies, researchers in fields such as developmental biology, physiology, immunology, oncology, and virology will also benefit from the availability of the chicken genome sequence.
The series of papers in Poultry Science will provide readers with a detailed overview of the history, current state of knowledge, and research strategies in poultry genetics and genomics.
“As these papers demonstrate, molecular genetics based technologies form a fundamental and unifying feature of contemporary investigations in many areas of poultry science and related disciplines. Their use in achieving the complete sequencing of the chicken genome make possible future advances in our understanding of many biological traits of poultry and other species,” said Dr. Andrew Giesen, PSA's president.
Overview of Poultry Genomic Papers in the December Issue
The December issue of Poultry Science will include three major articles on poultry genomics, along with a shorter perspectives paper (“Perspectives in Chicken Genetics and Genomics”) by Susan J. Lamont, C.F. Curtiss Distinguished Professor, Iowa State University) that provides some context for the series as a whole. Each article in the series is authored by one or more of the world's leading authorities in the field.
The first article, “Progress from Chicken Genetics to the Chicken Genome,” by P.B. Siegel, J.B. Dodgson, and L. Andersson, traces the development path from chicken genetics to genomics over the last century, from the crucial role of the chicken in demonstrating Mendel's principles in the animal kingdom, through the emergence of molecular genetics, and on up to the era of genomics today. In the process, readers will gain insights into the role that genetics has played in the development of today's poultry industry, along with a better understanding of the merits of the chicken as a model organism for scientific research.
The second article in the series is “Strategies to Assess Structural Variation in the Chicken Genome and Its Associations with Biodiversity and Biological Performance,” by M. Soller, S. Weigend, M.N. Romanov, J.C.M Dekkers, and S.J. Lamont. It reviews the strategies – laboratory, molecular, experimental design and analysis – used to make the advances in our understanding of poultry genomics. The paper includes a discussion of techniques (including their strengths and weaknesses) that are appropriate to use at the molecular level and discusses the appropriate design of molecular marker-trait studies. Studies of the structural variation of the chicken genome help in understanding biodiversity – a topic relevant for the industry and for those interested in free-living populations of birds. These studies also serve as the basis for identifying molecular markers that are linked to important production traits, and can be used in genetic selection programs to improve biological performance of poultry.
The third article, “Review of Quantitative Trait Loci Identified in the Chicken,” by B. Abasht, J.C.M Dekkers, and S.J. Lamont, describes what has been learned to date about quantitative trait loci or QTLs. QTLs are groups of genes that control certain traits, such as growth, disease resistance (to almost every disease), reproduction, behavioral traits (such as feather pecking and aggression), and metabolic traits (such as the circulation of hormones).
The December issue of Poultry Science will be available to subscribers online on November 15 at http://ps.fass.org; copies will mailed to subscribers November 17.
About Poultry Science
Published monthly (print and online) by PSA, papers in Poultry Science focus on findings from basic (pure) scientific research, including work on breeding and genetics; production, modeling, and education; environment, well-being and behavior; immunology, health, and disease; molecular, cellular, and developmental biology; metabolism and nutrition; physiology, endocrinology, and reproduction; and processing, products, and food safety. For subscription information, see http://ps.fass.org/subscriptions/.
About PSA
The Poultry Science Association (PSA) is a global scientific society dedicated to the discovery and dissemination of knowledge generated by poultry research – knowledge that enhances human and animal health and well-being and provides for the ethical, sustainable, and economical production of food. Founded in 1908, PSA has a global membership of about 3,500. For more information, go to www.poultryscience.org
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