Genetic variation and genetic diversity in chicken populations using microsatellite assay

Microsatellites are one of the recent markers widely used in gene marker studies, as they are abundant, co-~ominant, highly polymorphic and dispersed throughout the genome. Microsatellites are identified as reliable markers in chicken.(Romanov and Weigend 2001). Birds (212) representing 8 populations were utilized in the present study. Blood samples were collected from the Wbite Leghorn layer parent strains (WLH-IWD and WLHIWF) from AICRP on Poultry Breeding, Rajendranagar, the Babcock and the Vencobb commercial birds maintained at the Department of Poultry Science, College of Veterinary Science, Hyderabad, the Aseel from the backyards of farmers of West Godavari and Srikakukam districts and non-descript (desi) birds from adjoining areas of Rajendranagar. Three di-nucleotide microsatellite markers chosen randomly from the list recommended by the FAO (Cheng et al. 1995) and mapped either in Compton or East Lansing reference populations were genotyped. Blood samples (0.5-2.0 mVbird) were coUected into the vacutainers containing EDTA (5.4 mg) from the wing vein.