March 16, 2011

Genetic Mutation Keeps This Chicken Cool

Its head looks like a turkey's, its body resembles a chicken's "“ now scientists can explain why one of the poultry world's most curious specimens has developed such a distinctive look.

The Transylvanian naked neck chicken "“ once dubbed a Churkey or a Turken because of its hybrid appearance "“ has developed its defining feature because of a complex genetic mutation.


This causes a protein "“ BMP12 "“ to be produced, suppressing feather growth and causing the bird to have an outstanding bald neck.


The discovery also has implications for understanding how birds "“ including vultures "“ evolved to have featherless necks due to their metabolism of vitamin A selectively in neck skin.


The research, published in the journal PLoS Biology, was funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council.


Researchers analyzed DNA samples from naked neck chickens in Mexico, France and Hungary to find the genetic mutation. Skin samples from embryonic chickens were also analyzed using complex mathematical modeling to identify the genetic trigger.

Citation: Mou C, Pitel F, Gourichon D, Vignoles F, Tzika A, et al. (2011) Cryptic Patterning of Avian Skin Confers a Developmental Facility for Loss of Neck Feathering. PLoS Biol 9(3): e1001028. doi:10.1371/journal.pbio.1001028


Image Caption: A Naked Neck rooster (sometimes called a Turken) in foreground, domesticated Turkeys in background. Credit: Juan KomÃƒºn/Wikipedia (CC BY 2.0)  


On the Net: