Journal of Environmental Biology

Assessment of genetic diversity among Egyptian and Saudi chicken ecotypes and local Egyptian chicken breeds using microsatellite markers

A. Sabry^1,2*, S. Ramadan³, M.M. Hassan^1,4, A.A. Mohamed^1,5, A. Mohammedein¹ and M. Inoue-Murayama⁶ 

¹Department of Biology, College of Science, Taif University, P.O. Box 11099, Taif-21944, Saudi Arabia

²Cell Biology Department, National Research Center, 12622, Dokki, Giza, Egypt

³Department of Animal Wealth Development, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Benha University, Moshtohor, 13736, Egypt

⁴Department of Genetics, Faculty of Agriculture, Menoufia University, 51132, Egypt

⁵Department of Animal Reproduction and AI,National Research Center, 12622, Dokki, Giza, Egypt

⁶Wildlife Research Center, Kyoto University, Kyoto, 606-8203, Japan

*Corresponding Author Email : a.sabri@tu.edu.sa

Received: 23.06.2020                                            Revised: 04.10.2020                                                                             Accepted: 24.10.2020

Abstract

Aim: To assess genetic diversity of two chicken ecotypes from Egypt and Saudi Arabia and compare these ecotypes to six local Egyptian and two exotic pure chicken breeds using 14 microsatellite markers.

Methodology: Dataset consisted of two subsets. First subset represented two ecotypes from Saudi Arabia and Egypt. Second dataset consisted birds six Egyptian native chicken strains: Fayoumi (FAY), Dandarawy (DAN), Baladi (BAL), Sinai (Sini), El-Salam (Els) and Golden Montazah (GG), and two commercial strains: White Leghorn (WL) and Rhode Island Red (RIR). fourteen microsatellites markers were utilized to assess DNA polymorphism. Data analyses of the results were carried out using R statistical environment.

Results: The obtained results indicated that number of alleles per locus averaged 11.4 ± 5.0. Polymorphic information content was informative (> 50%) for the local breeds, but not for two ecotypes. The observed and expected heterozygosity averaged 0.46 and 0.75, both ecotypes had the lowest estimates. All breeds showed significant deviation from Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium expectation. The average population differentiation index (F_ST) was 0.143, overall heterozygosity deficiency (F_IT) was 0.156, and global inbreeding of individuals within breeds (F_IS) was 0.319.      

Interpretation: This study revealed that both Egyptian and Saudi ecotypes have an endangered status. Lower genetic distances and lower F_ST values were reported for the Egyptian indigenous breeds. Phylogenetic and principle components showed that both ecotypes were genetically closer to each other when compared with other breeds. It also showed that the Dandarawy native Egyptian chicken breed was genetically the closest breed to both the Egyptian and Saudi ecotypes.       

Key words: Chicken, Ecotypes, Genetic diversity, Microsatellites, Phylogenetics 

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