Sex chromosome linkage of chicken and duck type I interferon genes: further evidence of evolutionary conservation of the Z chromosome in birds |
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| Authors: | I Nanda C Sick U Münster B Kaspers M Schartl P Staeheli M Schmid |
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| Institution: | (1) Department of Human Genetics, University of Würzburg, Biocenter, Am Hubland, D-97074 Würzburg, Germany, DE;(2) Department of Virology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany, DE;(3) Department of Animal Physiology, University of Munich, Munich, Germany, DE;(4) Department of Physiological Chemistry I, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany, DE |
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| Abstract: | Type I interferons (IFNs) are a family of proteins that are predominantly expressed in response to viral infection. Two serologically
distinct forms of type I IFN, designated ChIFN1 and ChIFN2, have recently been recognized in the chicken. ChIFN1 is encoded
by a cluster of ten or more intronless genes, whereas ChIFN2, whose primary sequence is 57% identical, is encoded by a single
intronless gene. By fluorescence in situ hybridization we now demonstrate that the genes for ChIFN1 and ChIFN2 are all located
on the short arm of the chicken Z chromosome. This assignment was confirmed by results that showed that DNA from male (ZZ)
chickens yielded approximately twofold stronger Southern blot signals with ChIFN1 and ChIFN2 hybridization probes than DNA
from females (ZW). Attempts to determine differences in IFN production between male and female chickens failed owing to a
high degree of variation in virus-induced IFN expression between individuals of both sexes. Sex linkage of IFN genes was also
observed in domestic ducks: fluorescence in situ hybridization of duck metaphase chromosomes with a duck type I IFN probe
was confined to the terminal region of the long arm of the Z chromosome. Thus, in contrast to mammals, which have their IFN
genes on autosomes, birds have the type I IFN genes on the sex chromosome.
Received: 9 January 1998 |
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