microsatellite mapping of quantitative trait loci associated with carcass traits on chromosome 1 in japanese quail

the purpose of this study was to identify genomic regions of quantitative trait loci (qtl), affectingcarcass traits on chromosome 1 in an f2 population of japanese quail. for this purpose, a three-generationresource population was developed by using two distinct japanese quail strains, wild (meat type) andwhite (layer type). eight pairs of white and wild birds were crossed reciprocally and 34 f1 birds wereproduced. the f1 birds were intercrossed to generate 422 f2 offspring. phenotypic data including weightof carcass parts were collected on f2 birds. all of the animals from three generations (472 birds) weregenotyped for eight microsatellite markers on chromosome 1. qtl analysis was performed with leastsquares interval mapping method fitting three various statistical models. significant qtl were identifiedfor breast weight, carcass weight, head weight and percentage of breast. there was also evidence forimprinted qtl affecting breast weight, a carcass part of high economic value, on chromosome 1. theproportion of the f2 phenotypic variation explained by the significant additive, dominance and imprintedqtl effects ranged from 1.8 to 2.3, 1.2 to 3.3 and 0.5 to 2.2 percent, respectively.