Publications by authors named "Dawn Windsor"
Background: A major step towards the success of chickens as a domesticated species was the separation between maternal care and reproduction. Artificial incubation replaced the natural maternal behaviour of incubation and, thus, in certain breeds, it became possible to breed chickens with persistent egg production and no incubation behaviour; a typical example is the White Leghorn strain. Conversely, some strains, such as the Silkie breed, are prized for their maternal behaviour and their willingness to incubate eggs.
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- Point mutations in the ZRS region of the Lmbr1 gene are linked to polydactyly (extra toes) in humans, cats, and mice, highlighting its role in limb development.
- Recent research has pinpointed a specific single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in chickens that is responsible for a form of polydactyly in Silkie chickens, further demonstrating the ZRS's significance.
- Experiments using Silkie chicken legs show that increased Sonic hedgehog (Shh) expression in certain areas leads to changes in toe formation and causes preaxial polydactyly.