Analysis of genetic variation in quail population from Meybod Research Station using microsatellite markers

In this study, we used seven microsatellite markers (GUJ0023, GUJ0083, GUJ0055, GUJ0099, GUJ0041, GUJ0059 and GUJ0052), that showed high level polymorphism for analyzing of genetic variation in four quail strain [Canadian Pharach (CP), Spanish Pharach (SP), English White (EW) and Manchurian Golden (MG)] from Meybod research station. Whole blood samples were collected from 150 individuals belonging to four strains. Total Genomic DNA was extracted by the GUSN-Silica Gel kit. The PCR reactions were successfully done with all primers. All of locus-strain combinations tested for Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium by chi-square and likelihood ratio. All locus-strain combinations deviated from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium except GUJ0023 in Canadian Pharach and Spanish Pharach strain, GUJ0099 in Manchurian Golden strain and GUJ0052 in Canadian Pharach and Manchurian Golden strains (P<0.05). The effective number of alleles per locus varied from 2.8064 (GUJ0099) to 4.4662 (GUJ0023). The highest and the lowest PIC values belonged to GUJ0023 in Spanish Pharach (0.6964) and GUJ0083 in English White strains (0.4415) respectively. The expected heterozygosity varied between 0.7438 and 0.5450. The lowest and highest DS, Rogers, Wright and coancestry genetic distances were obtained between (CP) with (SP) and (EW), respectively. The phylogenies based on DA, DS, Rogers, Wright and coansectry distances by unweighted pair-group method using an arithmetic average (UPGMA) were showed CP, SP and MG are together at one cluster and EW at another. We can conclude that microsatellite markers could be a useful tool for screening of biodiversity in quail populations. We have described informative quail microsatellite markers that would form a useful resource base of DNA markers as part of our initiative to develop a genetic map for quail. Furthermore, these studied markers could be used as a tool in future phylogenetic studies aimed at improving our understanding of the relatedness of quail to chickens and guinea fowl. The trend in comparative mapping in poultry is taking several directions including the analysis of cDNA clones and radiation hybrid mapping, and our results would contribute to this collective effort.