Effects of selective breeding and age on the ability of the domestic fowl (Gallus domesticus) to oxidize trimethylamine.
Groups of adults which were selected for low and high (normal) TMA oxidase activities produced chickens with a predominance of the same character showing that capacity for synthesizing the enzyme is strongly inherited. The low and high strains became homogenous in generations 2 and 3, respectively, demonstrating that the genetic factor that impairs the synthesis of TMA oxidase can be readily removed by selective breeding. There was a 7-fold difference in the hepatic TMA oxidase activities of the strains at the age of 1 day and a 26-fold difference at 22 days. The synthesis of the enzyme increased rapidly in the high strain between the ages of 8 and 36 days but did not alter significantly in the low strain. Sex had no effect on TMA oxidase synthesis. The high strain showed better feather development and laid eggs with paler shells. There was no difference in their growth rate, egg production or hatchability.
D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D002645:Chickens / Q000378:metabolism*; D008099:Liver / Q000201:enzymology; D008744:Methylamines / Q000378:metabolism*; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D010089:Oxidoreductases, N-Demethylating / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012737:Sex Factors; D013045:Species Specificity
D008744:Methylamines; D010089:Oxidoreductases, N-Demethylating; C023186:trimethylamine dehydrogenase; C023336:trimethylamine