PLUCKING INFORMATION FROM THE CHICKEN GENOME WILL GIVE RESEARCHES PLENTY TO CROW ABOUT

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - When researchers finish the initial sequencing and analysis of the chicken genome this spring, they will have a blueprint for new insights into vertebrate development and genome evolution, but consumers shouldn’t look for improvements to the dinnertime meal anytime soon, says a University of Arkansas poultry scientist.

The National Institutes of Health decided to sequence the chicken genome in 2001. They chose the chicken because of its record as the most commonly used vertebrate model in developmental biology and its relatively small genome—about one third to one quarter of the size of the genome of a human, dog or cow, according to John Kirby, professor of poultry science. Poultry researchers also have accumulated a lot of data that would allow them to quickly begin to use the genome in research projects.

"All the genome is going to do is give us a new set of tools" to add to the data available, Kirby said. "The bulk sequence itself will be kind of like a phone book," where researchers can look at sequences to determine "addresses" for different traits.

The chicken genome contains a similar number of genes to the human genome, but lacks most of the repetitive elements and so-called "junk" DNA not contained in genes.

"The chicken genome could give us some insight into removing a lot of the noise from other genomes because its genome is simpler," Kirby said. Because birds are found on an early branch of the evolutionary tree, sequencing the chicken genome gives researchers another point to examine along the evolutionary path of genomes. Scientists already know that certain gene sequences are conserved between species—humans, mice and chickens, for example. Knowing which sequences have changed and which have not will help researchers determine where sequences have branched off, and decide what has stayed the same.

"This provides another good piece in the puzzle over what ancient genomes might have looked like," Kirby said.

As for improvements to the roasted, baked, or broiled bird, Kirby said it may be some time before consumers see such changes, because breeders have made improvements using selective breeding in the past 50 years. However, the sequenced chicken genome will allow more precision in the push to produce better poultry.

"Once the information is in useable form, I think things will fall out that will help people in the food industries," Kirby said. This may lead to improvements in animal welfare, food safety and food quality.

"Instead of using probabilities, poultry producers will be able to look at specific genes and make selections based on genetic data," Kirby said. This could lead to improvements in many areas, including animal health, where producers could select for bird populations with healthy genes, or food safety, where people might select for birds with good flora in the gut to fight microbes.