Stumpy limb--an embryonic lethal mutation in Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica).
An embryonic lethal mutant was found in Japanese quail and named "stumpy limb (SL)". All SL embryos died at pre-hatching stages, showing brachycephaly, a thickened neck, short upper and lower beaks, and short and thick extremities, while their body length was similar to that of the normal embryos. Observations on the skeleton revealed a globular skull, unusual curvature of the Processus palatinus maxillaris of the upper beak, and shortening and thickening of the appendicular bones. Some embryos showed a bending of the humerus, femur and/or tibiotarsus. Abnormality was more conspicuous in the leg bones than in the wing bones. No conspicuous differences were observed in the vertebrae between the SL and normal embryos. A genetic analysis suggested that the mutation is controlled by an autosomal recessive gene, for which the gene symbol sl was proposed.
Tsudzuki
M
M
Department of Laboratory Animal Science, College of Agriculture, University of Osaka Prefecture, Japan.
Wakasugi
N
N
Morioka
H
H
Esaki
K
K
D000818:Animals; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000002:abnormalities; D003370:Coturnix / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D005804:Genes, Lethal; D005808:Genes, Recessive; D008297:Male; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics*