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Topochemistry of blood cells of the Gallus domesticus (Aves, Galliforme).

Blood smears of both male and female chicken Gallus domesticus were analysed by using the following topochemical methods: a) Periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) for glycogen. b) Mercury-bromophenol blue for protein. c) O-Toluidine for myeloperoxidase. d) Sudan black B for lipid. The PAS reaction revealed glycogen in the cytoplasm of all thrombocytes and in a few heterophils. The presence of proteins was evidenced in all types of cells. However variation in the intensity of staining of protein granules was observed in the fusiform structures of the heterophils. A negative reaction for myeloperoxidase was found in all cells. Although some evidence of myeloperoxidase activity was show in the polymorphonuclears it was not enough to ascertain a positive reaction. Lipids were detected in the cytoplasm of few heterophils, eosinophils and monocytes.

Animals↗

Nematodes of the genus Subulura (Subuluridae) parasitizing Coturnix (Galliformes).

Two nematode species of the genus Subulura, S. skrjabini and S. brumpti, have been recovered from Coturnix coturnix (a detailed redescription of the former is attached). The synonymy, geographic distribution and some morphological and metrical characters of these species are discussed. S. noctuae gallinae Semenov, 1926 and S. strongylina sensu López-Neyra (1945) are tentatively regarded as synonyms of S. differens (Sonsino, 1890).

Animals↗

Karyotypic analysis of three species of Phasianidae (Galliformes: Aves).

The karyology of the partridges Francolinus francolinus asiae (2n = 70) and F. pondicerianus interpositus (2n = 68) and the Japanese quail Coturnix coturnix japonica (2n = 78) was investigated. The frequency distribution of the diploid number of chromosomes was tabulated and the most frequent number was taken to be the diploid number. All species showed a bimodal karyotype and the variation in the number of chromosomes was attributed to the macrochromosomes, although twelve macrochromosomes were present in all the species. Female heterogamety revealed that ZZ male:ZW female sex chromosome mechanism was present. The structure and behaviour of chromosomes during mitosis are described and the evolution of karyotype and cytotaxonomic considerations discussed.

Animals↗

Absence of coexistence between NADPH-diaphorase and antidiuretic hormone in the hypothalamus of two galliforms: Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica) and chicken (Gallus domesticus).

Based on previous studies demonstrating coexistence of NADPH-diaphorase (ND) and vasopressin (VP) in the rat hypothalamus. ND histochemistry and vasotocin (VT) immunocytochemistry have been combined in order to study the distribution of both markers in the hypothalamus of the Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica) and chicken (Gallus domesticus). No coexistence was found, however, close anatomical relationships between ND-positive and VT-immunoreactive elements were observed in specific preoptic and hypothalamic locations. These findings indicate interspecies differences in the expression of ND and the antidiuretic hormone with functional implications in osmoregulation.

Animals↗

Gallus gallus aggrecan gene-based phylogenetic analysis of selected avian taxonomic groups.

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequences remain the most widely used for phylogenetic analysis in birds. A major limitation of mtDNA sequences, however, is that mitochondria genes are inherited as a single linkage group. Here we describe the use of a 540-bp DNA sequence corresponding to the G3 domain of Gallus gallus nuclear aggrecan gene (AGCI) for phylogenetic analysis of the main groups of Galliformes including Phasianidae, Numididae, and Odontophoridae. We also included species from Cracidae and Megapodiidae which are considered by some as Craciformes and others, including here as Galliformes. The uncorrected sequence divergence of the G3 fragments ranges from 1% among the grouses to 36% between some of the distant groups within Galliformes. These sequences contain 39-48% AT nucleotides and the ratios of transition versus transversion are above 1.5 in majority of the comparisons. Using G3 sequences from an Anseriform, Oxyura jamaicensis, as out-groups, phylogenetic trees were obtained using maximum parsimony and distance algorithms and bootstrap analyses. These trees were consistent with those described using Avian sarcoma and leucosis virus gag genes and those from amino acid sequences of hemoglobin and lysozyme c. Our data also support relationships among Galliformes which were defined using mtDNA sequences. In addition to the general support of the five main families of Galliformes, our data are also consistent with previous work that showed Francolinus africanus and Gallus gallus are in the same clade and that Tetraoninae is a well-supported monophyletic subfamily within Phasianidae. The results presented here suggest that the AGC1 sequences meet the criterion of novel nuclear DNA sequences that can be used to help resolve the relationships among Galliformes.

Aggrecans↗

Why one-kilobase sequences from mitochondrial DNA fail to solve the Hoatzin phylogenetic enigma.

To address the suitability of mitochondrial DNA sequence data for higher avian systematics, cytochrome b sequences for nine species of Cuculiformes and Galliformes were gathered and compared to those of the Hoatzin, a specialized bird whose phylogenetic affinities have long puzzled ornithologists. Additional avian cytochrome b sequences from GenBank also were incorporated into the comparisons. Various phenetic and parsimony analyses applied to the molecular data coded in four formats (nucleotide sequences, purines versus pyrimidines, first and second positions of codons, and translated amino acid sequences) yielded several consistent phylogenetic arrangements, including the distinction of Galliformes from Cuculiformes, a clade composed of the Guira Cuckoo and Groove-billed Ani (Crotophagidae) to the exclusion of the other assayed cuculiforms (Cuculidae and Coccyzidae), and a clade composed of the New World quail (Odontophoridae, in the Sibley-Ahlquist classification) as a sister group to most or all Old World galliforms assayed (Phasianidae and Numididae). The latter result is of particular interest because it supports a controversial systematic realignment of the Galliformes based on DNA-DNA hybridization data. With regard to the phylogenetic position of the Hoatzin, the analysis differed in face-value outcome, although alternative clades were in all cases poorly supported by bootstrapping, and internodal distances were small relative to the range of genetic separations within either Cuculiformes or Galliformes. These uncertainties in phylogenetic resolution of the Hoatzin appear to be attributable to shallow slopes in the regressions relating cytochrome b sequence differences to evolutionary time, in conjunction with homoplasy in the data, sampling error in the estimation of genetic differences, and the relatively close temporal placements of relevant evolutionary nodes.

Animals↗

Complete nucleotide sequence of the Coturnix chinensis (blue-breasted quail) mitochondrial genome and a phylogenetic analysis with related species.

Coturnix chinensis (blue-breasted quail) has been classically grouped in Galliformes Phasianidae Coturnix, based on morphologic features and biochemical evidence. Since the blue-breasted quail has the smallest body size among the species of Galliformes, in addition to a short generation time and an excellent reproductive performance, it is a possible model fowl for breeding and physiological studies of the Coturnix japonica (Japanese quail) and Gallus gallus domesticus (chicken), which are classified in the same family as blue-breasted quail. However, since its phylogenetic position in the family Phasianidae has not been determined conclusively, the sequence of the entire blue-breasted quail mitochondria (mt) genome was obtained to provide genetic information for phylogenetic analysis in the present study. The blue-breasted quail mtDNA was found to be a circular DNA of 16,687 base pairs (bp) with the same genomic structure as the mtDNAs of Japanese quail and chicken, though it is smaller than Japanese quail and chicken mtDNAs by 10 bp and 88 bp, respectively. The sequence identity of all mitochondrial genes, including those for 12S and 16S ribosomal RNAs, between blue-breasted quail and Japanese quail ranged from 84.5% to 93.5%; between blue-breasted quail and chicken, sequence identity ranged from 78.0% to 89.6%. In order to obtain information on the phylogenetic position of blue-breasted quail in Galliformes Phasianidae, the 2,184 bp sequence comprising NADH dehydrogenase subunit 2 and cytochrome b genes available for eight species in Galliformes [Japanese quail, chicken, Gallus varius (green junglefowl), Bambusicola thoracica (Chinese bamboo partridge), Pavo cristatus (Indian peafowl), Perdix perdix (gray partridge), Phasianus colchicus (ring-neck pheasant), and Tympanchus phasianellus (sharp-tailed grouse)] together with that of Aythya americana (redhead) were examined using a maximum likelihood (ML) method. The ML analyses on the first/second codon positions, the third codon positions, and amino acid sequence consistently demonstrated that blue-breasted quail and Japanese quail are in the same phylogenetic cluster.

Animals↗

Gut size and the digestion of fibrous diets by tetraonid birds.

A series of diets containing different proportions of heather was fed to red grouse. Heather is the bird's main natural food and contains much fiber; the rest of each diet was a relatively low-fiber, grain-based formulation. With increasing heather and associated fiber contents, food intake increased and overall digestibility of heather was only 9.4%, but, when heather was eaten as the sole food by wild red grouse, its digestibility was 46%. Adaptations to diets containing more heather included increases in the size of the digestive system. Gizzard weight increased linearly with food intake. Lengths of intestines and particularly ceca also increased with intake, but not linearly. Up to an intake of about 50 g dry matter/day no significant change occurred. Above 50 g/day, gut size increased rapidly. Bulk may have started to limit intake at about 50 g/day. One can think of galliform digestion functioning in two modes: 1) a low-fiber mode, in which bulk does not limit intake and fiber digestion is unimportant; and 2) a high-fiber mode, in which bulk limits intake and fiber digestion may well be important. Most studies on avian digestion have been of captive galliforms, most of which probably function in low-fiber mode all the time. Wild galliforms seem to function in high-fiber mode for much of the time, but this has been studied little.

Animals↗

alpha-Crystallin sequences support a galliform/anseriform clade.

An unresolved issue in higher avian systematics is the position of the fowl-like and the duck-like birds, Galliformes and Anseriformes, respectively. Most studies place these orders at the base of the neognath radiation. While DNA hybridization data support a sister-group relationship of Galliformes and Anseriformes, macromolecular sequence analyses have not yet been able to provide a clear-cut answer. In this study, we present nucleotide sequences coding for the eye lens proteins alpha A- and alpha B-crystallin of a palaeognath, a galliform, an anseriform, and two other neognathous birds. Phylogenetic analyses of this data set clearly support a galliform/anseriform clade, to the exclusion of other neognaths.

Animals↗

Pathways of lysozyme evolution inferred from the sequences of cytochrome b in birds.

A reliable phylogeny relating the major groups of Galliformes was sought in order to shed light on an unusual case of coupled amino acid replacements in the lysozymes c of these birds. The New World quail and the African guinea fowl share a unique trio of amino acids at three internal positions but have been separated phylogenetically by the majority of trees based on morphological characters. Alternative hypotheses based on molecular data have suggested an arrangement that would be more parsimonious with regard to the lysozyme data. The entire mitochondrial cytochrome b gene (1,143 bp) was amplified via the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequenced for nine galliforms and a representative anseriform to provide DNA sequence data for a phylogenetic reconstruction. The mode and tempo of change in these sequences were analyzed to determine the characters most appropriate for phylogenetic reconstruction. Our results place the New World quail outside all other representative game birds except the cracids. Although in conflict with various morphological analyses, this finding is consistent with the results of DNA-DNA hybridization studies. A model to account for the coupled replacements in the lysozymes is presented. Our results also suggest a rapid but ancient radiation among the Galliformes such that the majority of cytochrome b sequence differences among taxa have accumulated on the terminal branches of the reconstructed phylogenetic trees.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Congruency of phylogenies derived from different proteins. A molecular analysis of the phylogenetic position of cracid birds.

This communication examines the question of phylogenetic congruency--i.e., whether or not the branching order of evolutionary trees is independent of the protein studied. It was found that trees constructed for birds on the basis of immunological comparison of their transferrins, albumins, and ovalbumins agree approximately with a published tree based on the amino acid sequences of their lysozymes c. This congruency is especially noteworthy with respect to the phylogenetic position of the chachalaca, a Mexican bird classified on morphological grounds in the family Cracidae of the order Galliformes. At the protein level, this species differs as much from non-cracid galliform birds as does the duck, which belongs to another order. Despite the organismal similarity between cracid and non-cracid galliform birds, the molecular relationship is remote. If this contrast between organismal and molecular results had been based on comparative studies with only lysozyme, one could have ascribed the contrast to the possibility that chachalaca lysozyme was paralogous, rather than orthologous, to the other bird lysozymes c. Examination of several proteins is thus desirable in cases of possible paralogy.

Amino Acids↗