A genetic defect in hyomandibular furrow closure in the Japanese quail: the causes for ear-opening abnormality and formation of an ear tuft.
The mutant ET (ear tuft) quail strain is characterized by an ear-opening abnormality frequently accompanied by ear tufts. The mutant ear opening is oval shaped with a fissure on its ventral margin, whereas the ear tufts project from the ventral end of the fissure or the posterior margin of the ear opening. The ear tufts are composed of a feathered peduncle. The size of the ear tufts and the ear-opening abnormality are variable. The incidence of the ear tufts and the ear-opening abnormality in the ET embryos at 15 days of incubation was 33% and 42%, respectively. Examination of early embryos revealed an incomplete closure of the hyomandibular furrow, the incidence of which was 91% in 5 day embryos. It appears that the hyomandibular furrow abnormality is the primary defect leading to the ear-opening and ear-tuft traits. Genetic analyses of hyomandibular furrow closure defect indicated it to be due to an autosomal recessive mutation. The proposed gene symbol is hfd.
Tsudzuki
M
M
Laboratory of Animal Genetics, School of Agriculture, Nagoya University, Japan.
Wakasugi
N
N
D000818:Animals; D001947:Breeding; D002645:Chickens / Q000235:genetics; D003370:Coturnix / Q000196:embryology / Q000235:genetics*; D004423:Ear / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000196:embryology; D005260:Female; D005808:Genes, Recessive; D008297:Male; D008334:Mandible / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000196:embryology; D009154:Mutation; D011201:Poultry Diseases / Q000196:embryology / Q000235:genetics*; D011784:Quail / Q000235:genetics*