title: The Dominant white mutation in the PMEL17 gene does not cause visual impairment in chickens.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine whether the Dominant white mutation (causing a hypopigmented phenotype in chicken) affects the visual ability and gives rise to ocular abnormalities in chickens (Gallus gallus).
  
  
  METHODS
  Chickens homozygous for either the Dominant white mutation or the wild-type alleles were tested in a visual contrast behavioral test and subjected to histological and ophthalmologic examination.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no differences between the genotypes in the visual contrast behavioral test, and there were no abnormal structures among the Dominant white chickens in the ophthalmic examination. The histological sections from the Dominant white chickens did not differ from the wild-type chicken in structure, photoreceptor density, or RPE pigmentation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results indicate that the Dominant white mutation in PMEL17 does not seem to affect the visual ability or eye structures in chickens.
authors.affiliation: IFM Biology, Division of Zoology, Linköping University, SE-581 83 Linköping, Sweden.
authors.forename: Anna-Carin
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Karlsson
authors.forename: Susanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kerje
authors.forename: Finn
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Hallböök
authors.forename: Per
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jensen
mesh_terms: D000483:Alleles; D000818:Animals; D002645:Chickens / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D016254:Mutagenesis, Insertional / Q000502:physiology*; D011201:Poultry Diseases / Q000235:genetics*; D012160:Retina / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000235:genetics / Q000662:veterinary*; D014787:Vision Tests / Q000662:veterinary