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A DNA test to sex most birds
Abstract
Birds are difficult to sex. Nestlings rarely show sex‐linked morphology and we estimate that adult females appear identical to males in over 50% of the world's bird species. This problem can hinder both evolutionary studies and human‐assisted breeding of birds. DNA‐based sex identification provides a solution. We describe a test based on two conserved CHD (chromo‐helicase‐DNA‐binding) genes that are located on the avian sex chromosomes of all birds, with the possible exception of the ratites (ostriches, etc.; Struthioniformes). The CHD‐W gene is located on the W chromosome; therefore it is unique to females. The other gene, CHD‐Z, is found on the Z chromosome and therefore occurs in both sexes (female, ZW; male, ZZ). The test employs PCR with a single set of primers. It amplifies homologous sections of both genes and incorporates introns whose lengths usually differ. When examined on a gel there is a single CHD‐Z band in males but females have a second, distinctive CHD‐W band.
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Citations
Cited by
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Zhang, G., Li, C., Li, Q., Li, B., Larkin, D. M., Lee, C., Storz, J. F., Antunes, A., Greenwold, M. J., Meredith, R. W., et al. (2014) · Science · doi:10.1126/science.1251385 · Cited by 1,055
Precise auditory–vocal mirroring in neurons for learned vocal communication
Prather, J. F., Peters, S., Nowicki, S., & Mooney, R. (2008) · Nature · doi:10.1038/nature06492 · Cited by 463
Haesler, S., Rochefort, C., Georgi, B., Licznerski, P., Osten, P., & Scharff, C. (2007) · PLoS Biology · doi:10.1371/journal.pbio.0050321 · Cited by 364
Sexual size dimorphism in birds
Székely, T., Lislevand, T., & Figuerola, J. (2007) · Sex, Size and Gender Roles · doi:10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199208784.003.0004 · Cited by 160
KORSTEN, P., MUELLER, J. C., HERMANNSTÄDTER, C., BOUWMAN, K. M., DINGEMANSE, N. J., DRENT, P. J., LIEDVOGEL, M., MATTHYSEN, E., Van OERS, K., Van OVERVELD, T., et al. (2010) · Molecular Ecology · doi:10.1111/j.1365-294x.2009.04518.x · Cited by 123
Metadata
- Authors
- GRIFFITHS, R., DOUBLE, M. C., ORR, K., & DAWSON, R. J. G.
- Venue
- Molecular Ecology
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 1998-08
- Volume
- 7
- Issue
- 8
- Pages
- 1071-1075
- ISSN
- 0962-1083 (ISSN-L)
- 1365-294X
- OpenAlex
- W2098061972
- Cited by
- 3,065
- References
- 0
- FWCI
- 18.02
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
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- GRIFFITHS, R., DOUBLE, M. C., ORR, K., & DAWSON, R. J. G. (1998). A DNA test to sex most birds. Molecular Ecology. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-294x.1998.00389.x
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Contains information from the Semantic Scholar Academic Graph Datasets, made available under the ODC Attribution License (ODC-BY 1.0).
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