Retrotransposons Mobility in Eight Pure Lines of Laying Chickens

Abstract

In this study, retrotransposons mobility in eight pure lines of the domestic chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus) was analysed using IRAP-PCR (Inter-retrotransposon amplification polymorphism Polymerase Chain Reaction) method. Polymorphism rates were detected as 0–78% in Copia-like, 0–73% in Nikita, 0–60% in SIRE, and 0–38 in Sukkula in Rhode Island Red, Barred Rock, Colombian Rock, Line-54, Black Line, Blue Line, Brown Line, and Maroon Line chickens. In silico analyses presented that Blue Line with Line-54 and Barred Rock with Colombian Rock are closely related regarding these four retrotransposons. These horizontally transferred plant-specific retrotransposons may affect changes in the pure-line chicken genome.