Genetic appraisal of four Japanese quail lines using microsatellites

Genetic appraisal of four specialized lines of quails developed at CARI Izatnagar: CARI UTTAM (CU), CARI UJJWAL (CJ), CARI SWETA (CS) and CARI PEARL (CP) were carried using quail-specific microsatellites to elucidate the present genetic constitution and diversity in light of breeding history. The microsatellite genotyping data generated from 44 polymorphic loci was analysed to arrive at various population parameters like allele distribution, polymorphic information content (PIC), heterozygosity, F-statistics, genetic distance, genetic identity and phylogenetic distribution of the four lines. Population parameters derived from microsatellite analyses were indicative of ample genetic diversity existent within and between four lines and some of the diversity indices corroborated well with the breeding history of four lines. Phylogenetic study revealed faithful clustering of individuals within a population together with no outliers however, overall relationship between the four lines thatindicated that CS and CP lines were phylogenetically closer to each other and CU stood distinctly apart, did not corroborate well with the breeding and selection history but, went down well with pair wise measures of diversity such as Nei's genetic distance and Nei's genetic identity.