Application of Minimally Invasive Oral Swab Samples for qPCR-Based Sexing in Neognathae Birds
Birds are inherently social creatures that rely on pairing to enhance their well-being. Since many bird species lack obvious physical differences between females and males, sex identification is essential for ensuring their welfare. Additionally, early determination of the sexes of birds is crucial...
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2025-01-01
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| author | Maria-Carmen Turcu Anamaria Ioana Paștiu Lucia-Victoria Bel Anca-Alexandra Doboși Dana Liana Pusta |
| author_facet | Maria-Carmen Turcu Anamaria Ioana Paștiu Lucia-Victoria Bel Anca-Alexandra Doboși Dana Liana Pusta |
| author_sort | Maria-Carmen Turcu |
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| description | Birds are inherently social creatures that rely on pairing to enhance their well-being. Since many bird species lack obvious physical differences between females and males, sex identification is essential for ensuring their welfare. Additionally, early determination of the sexes of birds is crucial for their breeders, especially considering that most companion birds do not display clear sexual characteristics. Molecular genetic sexing has been demonstrated to be the most reliable method for determining the sexes of monomorphic birds. The objective of the present study was to demonstrate rapid, effective, and precise identification of sex in birds through quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) using samples obtained via a minimally invasive technique (oral swabs). This qPCR method assesses variations in gene copy numbers within conserved Z-specific genes such as <i>CHRNA6</i>, <i>DDX4</i>, <i>VPS13A</i>, <i>LPAR1</i>, and <i>TMEM161B</i>, which are absent from the W chromosome. A total of 34 samples were included in this study from the following 17 bird species: domestic pigeon (<i>Columba livia domestica</i>), domestic chicken (<i>Gallus gallus domesticus</i>), domestic goose (<i>Anser anser f domesticus</i>), domestic duck (<i>Anas platyrhynchos domesticus</i>), Mute swan (<i>Cygnus olor</i>), Budgerigar (<i>Melopsittacus undulatus</i>), Lovebird (<i>Agapornis roseicollis</i>), Cockatiel (<i>Nymphicus hollandicus</i>), Red-rumped parrot (<i>Psephotus haematonotus</i>), Rose-ringed parakeet (<i>Psittacula krameri</i>), African grey parrot (<i>Psittacus erithacus</i>), domestic Canary (<i>Serinus canaria forma domestica</i>), Goldfinch (<i>Carduelis carduelis major</i>), Gouldian Finch (<i>Chloebia gouldiae</i>), Red Siskin (<i>Carduelis cucullata</i>), Australian Zebra Finch (<i>Taeniopygia castanotis</i>), and Common buzzard (<i>Buteo buteo</i>). The results proved <i>that</i> the <i>CHRNA6</i>, <i>DDX4</i>, <i>VPS13A</i>, <i>LPAR1</i>, and <i>TMEM161B</i> genes can reveal the sexes in the <i>Neognath</i> birds tested. |
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| institution | Kabale University |
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| spelling | doaj-art-ffa2bd4e91f74198a9d7d4138ddb8bc82025-01-24T13:52:11ZengMDPI AGVeterinary Sciences2306-73812025-01-011217310.3390/vetsci12010073Application of Minimally Invasive Oral Swab Samples for qPCR-Based Sexing in Neognathae BirdsMaria-Carmen Turcu0Anamaria Ioana Paștiu1Lucia-Victoria Bel2Anca-Alexandra Doboși3Dana Liana Pusta4Department of Genetics and Hereditary Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, RomaniaDepartment of Genetics and Hereditary Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, RomaniaNew Companion Animals Veterinary Clinic, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, RomaniaDepartment of Genetics and Hereditary Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, RomaniaDepartment of Genetics and Hereditary Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, RomaniaBirds are inherently social creatures that rely on pairing to enhance their well-being. Since many bird species lack obvious physical differences between females and males, sex identification is essential for ensuring their welfare. Additionally, early determination of the sexes of birds is crucial for their breeders, especially considering that most companion birds do not display clear sexual characteristics. Molecular genetic sexing has been demonstrated to be the most reliable method for determining the sexes of monomorphic birds. The objective of the present study was to demonstrate rapid, effective, and precise identification of sex in birds through quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) using samples obtained via a minimally invasive technique (oral swabs). This qPCR method assesses variations in gene copy numbers within conserved Z-specific genes such as <i>CHRNA6</i>, <i>DDX4</i>, <i>VPS13A</i>, <i>LPAR1</i>, and <i>TMEM161B</i>, which are absent from the W chromosome. A total of 34 samples were included in this study from the following 17 bird species: domestic pigeon (<i>Columba livia domestica</i>), domestic chicken (<i>Gallus gallus domesticus</i>), domestic goose (<i>Anser anser f domesticus</i>), domestic duck (<i>Anas platyrhynchos domesticus</i>), Mute swan (<i>Cygnus olor</i>), Budgerigar (<i>Melopsittacus undulatus</i>), Lovebird (<i>Agapornis roseicollis</i>), Cockatiel (<i>Nymphicus hollandicus</i>), Red-rumped parrot (<i>Psephotus haematonotus</i>), Rose-ringed parakeet (<i>Psittacula krameri</i>), African grey parrot (<i>Psittacus erithacus</i>), domestic Canary (<i>Serinus canaria forma domestica</i>), Goldfinch (<i>Carduelis carduelis major</i>), Gouldian Finch (<i>Chloebia gouldiae</i>), Red Siskin (<i>Carduelis cucullata</i>), Australian Zebra Finch (<i>Taeniopygia castanotis</i>), and Common buzzard (<i>Buteo buteo</i>). The results proved <i>that</i> the <i>CHRNA6</i>, <i>DDX4</i>, <i>VPS13A</i>, <i>LPAR1</i>, and <i>TMEM161B</i> genes can reveal the sexes in the <i>Neognath</i> birds tested.https://www.mdpi.com/2306-7381/12/1/73birdsqPCRmolecular sexing<i>CHRNA6</i>, <i>DDX4</i>, <i>VPS13A</i>, <i>LPAR1</i>, and <i>TMEM161B</i> genes |
| spellingShingle | Maria-Carmen Turcu Anamaria Ioana Paștiu Lucia-Victoria Bel Anca-Alexandra Doboși Dana Liana Pusta Application of Minimally Invasive Oral Swab Samples for qPCR-Based Sexing in Neognathae Birds Veterinary Sciences birds qPCR molecular sexing <i>CHRNA6</i>, <i>DDX4</i>, <i>VPS13A</i>, <i>LPAR1</i>, and <i>TMEM161B</i> genes |
| title | Application of Minimally Invasive Oral Swab Samples for qPCR-Based Sexing in Neognathae Birds |
| title_full | Application of Minimally Invasive Oral Swab Samples for qPCR-Based Sexing in Neognathae Birds |
| title_fullStr | Application of Minimally Invasive Oral Swab Samples for qPCR-Based Sexing in Neognathae Birds |
| title_full_unstemmed | Application of Minimally Invasive Oral Swab Samples for qPCR-Based Sexing in Neognathae Birds |
| title_short | Application of Minimally Invasive Oral Swab Samples for qPCR-Based Sexing in Neognathae Birds |
| title_sort | application of minimally invasive oral swab samples for qpcr based sexing in neognathae birds |
| topic | birds qPCR molecular sexing <i>CHRNA6</i>, <i>DDX4</i>, <i>VPS13A</i>, <i>LPAR1</i>, and <i>TMEM161B</i> genes |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2306-7381/12/1/73 |
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