ABCA1 is essential for efficient basolateral cholesterol efflux during the absorption of dietary cholesterol in chickens.

The ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1) participates in the efflux of cholesterol from cells. It remains unclear whether ABCA1 functions to efflux cholesterol across the basolateral or apical membrane of the intestine. We used a chicken model of ABCA1 dysfunction, the Wisconsin hypoalpha mutant (WHAM) chicken, to address this issue.

The chick oligozeugodactyly (ozd) mutant lacks sonic hedgehog function in the limb.

We have analyzed a new limb mutant in the chicken that we name oligozeugodactyly (ozd). The limbs of this mutant have a longitudinal postaxial defect, lacking the posterior element in the zeugopod (ulna/fibula) and all digits except digit 1 in the leg. Classical recombination experiments show that the limb mesoderm is the defective tissue layer in ozd limb buds.

Identification and functional analysis of a naturally occurring E89K mutation in the ABCA1 gene of the WHAM chicken.

The Wisconsin hypoalpha mutant (WHAM) chicken has a >90% reduction in plasma HDL due to hypercatabolism by the kidney of lipid-poor apoA-I. The WHAM chickens have a recessive white skin phenotype caused by a single-gene mutation that maps to the chicken Z-chromosome. This corresponds to human 9q31.

A new recessive ametapodia mutation in the chicken (Gallus domesticus).

An apparently new mutation that is associated with abnormal limb development appeared in a strain of Light Brown Leghorn chickens. Mutants are characterized by the complete absence of the tarsometatarsals, while severely hypoplastic development of the metacarpals is also present. The phenotype of the new mutant (ametapodia-2) closely resembles ametapodia-1, described in 1967, but ametapodia-2 is inherited as an autosomal recessive (AMET*A), while ametapodia-1 was associated with an incompletely dominant gene (MP*A).

Further tests for genetic linkages of three morphological traits, three blood groups, and break points of two chromosome translocations on chromosome one in the chicken.

Two matings were conducted to further test the locations of the pea comb (P*), blue egg shell color (O*), and tardy feathering (T*) loci. In each mating a different chromosome rearrangement break point (R(B)) was tested against the three loci. Independent segregation was noted between the traits and the R(B) when the R(B) was on the long arm of chromosome 1.