Design and development of a multiplex microsatellite panel for the genetic characterisation and diversity assessment of domestic turkey (Meleagris gallopavo gallopavo)

Abstract

Domestic turkey production generally utilises only a few genetically improved lines, and local breeds are severely endangered as a result. Furthermore, the genetic resources of domestic turkeys have not been properly investigated, which could, ultimately, lead to the extinction of local breeds and negatively affect their corresponding genetic diversity and environmental adaptation. Although, several microsatellite markers have been designed for mapping and quantitative trait locus analysis, there is no standard panel of markers for genetic characterisation or genetic diversity assessment. Accordingly, the present study aimed to develop a set of polymorphic microsatellite markers that could be used for international turkey population studies. Thirty-nine microsatellites were selected based on polymorphism, DNA sequence and chromosome position, as well as on amplification efficiency, success rate and the absence of nonspecific amplification. The markers were screened using 105 DNA samples from local turkey breeds from Mexico, the United States, Italy, Brazil, Egypt and Spain. A total of 401 alleles were identified, with a mean number of alleles per marker of 10.28 ± 4.25. All microsatellites were polymorphic, with at least four alleles and no more than 19 alleles. Furthermore, allelic richness ranged from 3.810 to 17.985, mean heterozygosity ranged from 0.452 ± 0.229 to 0.667 ± 0.265, polymorphic information content values ranged from 0.213 (MNT264) to 0.850 (RHT0024) and the mean Fis value was 0.322. Overall, the panel was highly polymorphic and exhibited moderate Hardy–Weinberg disequilibrium, thereby indicating its value as a tool for biodiversity and population structure studies that could play an important role in promoting the conservation of local turkey breeds.

Highlights

• Important genetic resources reside within indigenous turkey populations. These are linked to historic heritage production values and breeds. It is important to preserve this heritage and genetic diversity, which threatens to be lost as production systems focus on production characteristics.

• Microsatellite markers, even though, they are now replaced by single nucleotide polymorphism automatic genotyping platforms in many fields of genetics, remain a viable alternative thanks to their cheapness and simplicity of study which makes them particularly useful when the population to be studied lacks information of the prior genetic structure.

Keywords:

• Meleagris gallopavo; microsatellites
• biodiversity
• power of exclusion

Ethical approval

Blood samples from all animals incluted in this study were collected by qualified veterinarians during their routine practice within the framework of official programs aimed at the identification, monitoring of health, and parentage confirmation of the breeds and populations included in our study. The collection. The fieldwork did not involve any endangered or protected species. Hair root were manually collected without any injury in the back of the animals No other kind of tissues (blood, meat or other) were used in this study. The other breeds are data proceded from other study inside our research group.

Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to the AGR-218 research group, University of Cordoba and to the Animal Breeding Consulting, S.L. Applied Genetics Laboratory. The authors would also like to extend special thanks to the CONBIAND Network, without whose effort this study would not have been possible.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.