Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
9th International Food, Agriculture and Veterinary Sciences Congress, Konya, Türkiye, 3 - 05 Nisan 2026, cilt.9, ss.381-382, (Özet Bildiri)
Racing pigeons (Columba livia) are known for their superior performance traits, including long-distance flight, navigation, and speed. Both environmental factors and genetic structure play important roles in the expression of these characteristics. Therefore, determining genetic variations in racing pigeons is important for improving the effectiveness of selection programs and for understanding the genetic basis of performance traits. The myostatin (MSTN) gene, a growth factor belonging to the TGF-β protein family, is located on chromosome 7 in pigeons and consists of three exons. It has been reported that the MSTN gene regulates muscle development, particularly skeletal muscle growth and endurance. On the other hand, the alpha-globin (αA-globin) gene determines the oxygen-binding capacity of hemoglobin, enabling efficient oxygen transport to tissues. In pigeons, it plays a critical role in oxygen adaptation, especially during long-distance flights. In this context, this study aimed to determine the genetic variations in the MSTN and αA-globin genes associated with flight capacity, muscle development, and oxygen adaptation in racing pigeons. In the study, naturally shed feathers from 120 pigeons were collected. DNA was isolated from the feathers using the “NucleoGene Genomic DNA Extraction Kit”. Genotyping for the MSTN and αA-globin genes was performed using the PCR-RFLP method. To evaluate population genetics parameters, heterozygosity (He), polymorphism information content (PIC), and Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium (HWE) were calculated. The MSTN and αA-globin markers were found to deviate from HWE (P<0.05). In addition, while three genotypes of the αA-globin marker were observed in the population, no pigeon with the MSTN-TT genotype was identified. The PIC values were calculated as 0.3699 for MSTN and 0.3693 for αA-globin, indicating that both markers were moderately informative (0.25<PIC<0.50). In conclusion, examining variation in the MSTN and αA-globin genes and determining their potential effects on phenotypic traits can provide valuable insights into the biological mechanisms underlying performance characteristics.
Racing pigeons (Columba livia) are known for their superior performance traits, including long-distance flight, navigation, and speed. Both environmental factors and genetic structure play important roles in the expression of these characteristics. Therefore, determining genetic variations in racing pigeons is important for improving the effectiveness of selection programs and for understanding the genetic basis of performance traits. The myostatin (MSTN) gene, a growth factor belonging to the TGF-β protein family, is located on chromosome 7 in pigeons and consists of three exons. It has been reported that the MSTN gene regulates muscle development, particularly skeletal muscle growth and endurance. On the other hand, the alpha-globin (αA-globin) gene determines the oxygen-binding capacity of hemoglobin, enabling efficient oxygen transport to tissues. In pigeons, it plays a critical role in oxygen adaptation, especially during long-distance flights. In this context, this study aimed to determine the genetic variations in the MSTN and αA-globin genes associated with flight capacity, muscle development, and oxygen adaptation in racing pigeons. In the study, naturally shed feathers from 120 pigeons were collected. DNA was isolated from the feathers using the “NucleoGene Genomic DNA Extraction Kit”. Genotyping for the MSTN and αA-globin genes was performed using the PCR-RFLP method. To evaluate population genetics parameters, heterozygosity (He), polymorphism information content (PIC), and Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium (HWE) were calculated. The MSTN and αA-globin markers were found to deviate from HWE (P<0.05). In addition, while three genotypes of the αA-globin marker were observed in the population, no pigeon with the MSTN-TT genotype was identified. The PIC values were calculated as 0.3699 for MSTN and 0.3693 for αA-globin, indicating that both markers were moderately informative (0.25<PIC<0.50). In conclusion, examining variation in the MSTN and αA-globin genes and determining their potential effects on phenotypic traits can provide valuable insights into the biological mechanisms underlying performance characteristics.