Molecular diversity of Ukrainian native chicken breeds: a review

The current Ukrainian native chicken gene pool is experiencing a decline in the number of breeds and maintained flocks. The major chicken breeds and lines of Ukrainian selection currently involve the Poltava Clay, Birkivska Barvysta, White Plymouth Rock and Rhode Island Red, representing different utility purpose types (i.e. layer and dual purpose). The local germplasm conservation agenda implies, among other measures, exploration of the genetic diversity of Ukrainian native chicken breeds using various types of molecular markers (e.g. indels, PCR-RFLPs and microsatellites). The purpose of this article is to review recent results of the complex genetic studies for assessing the features of population structure and variation in local breeds and lines. In particular, native gene pool stocks were examined for polymorphisms of the following genes: PRL, PRLR, GH, GHR, IGF1, PIT1, TGF-β1, TGF-β2, TGF-β3 and Mx. Based on these results, association of the identified polymorphic loci with productive traits (i.e. egg and meat performance) was investigated. For each of the experimental chicken lines, promising genotypes were established for further implementation in marker-assisted selection programs. Using microsatellites, the main variability parameters were established in the experimental populations, their genetic differentiation was analysed, and genetic distances were calculated between the experimental lines.