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Title: CHICKEN TUBBY-LIKE PROTEIN 1 (TULP1) GENE MAPS TO CHROMOSOME 26

Author
item Zhang, Huanmin
item Cheng, Hans

Submitted to: Animal Genetics
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/27/2004
Publication Date: 5/1/2004
Citation: Zhang, H.M., Cheng, H.H. 2004. Chicken tubby-like protein 1 (tulp1) gene maps to chromosome 26. Animal Genetics. 35:165-166.

Interpretive Summary: Knowledge on how chicken genes are linked together as groups is important to both poultry breeders and scientific researchers. Therefore, since 1936, continuous efforts from scientists worldwide have been put forth to make such a genetic map. To date, approximately 2,412 plus spots on chicken chromosomes have been recognized with one or another kind of DNA landmarks (see http://iowa.thearkdb.org/browser?species=chicken&objtype=stats for details). The quality and usefulness of a genetic map increases as more such DNA landmarks, especially quality landmarks are placed on to it. Chicken tubby-like protein 1 (TULP1) gene is such a quality landmark. We have placed the chicken TULP1 gene to chromosome 26 and also identified six genetic variants of the gene. These results should pave the way for future studies aimed at advancing the genetic understanding of the TULP1 in chickens and exploring naturally occurring avian genetic disorders to better understand genetic diseases in human, such as obesity syndrome, hearing loss, and retinal degeneration, which were reportedly affected by the Tubby-like proteins.

Technical Abstract: TULP1 (Tubby-like protein 1) is a member of a novel, small gene family known as TULPs (Tubby-like proteins), which are conserved across different mammal species suggesting functional importance. The involvements of TULPs in at least three diseases, obesity syndrome, hearing loss, and retinal degeneration, have been recognized. Primers designed from chicken mRNA sequence (U92545) of TULP1 generated 395-bp amplicons from templates of genomic DNA samples of a White Leghorn (WL) and a Jungle Fowl (JF), the parents of the East Lansing mapping reference family. Six SNPs were identified by comparing the WL sequence (AY490566) with the JF sequence (AY490567). The TULP1 was mapped to the chicken chromosome 26 by a developed PCR-RFLP system. This is the first chicken gene mapped on chromosome 26 whereas the human homolog (human TULP1) is mapped on the HSA6.