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Isochromosomes in the Chicken

Abstract

RECENT reports on the chromosomes1 and total DNA2,3 of the chicken cell nucleus show that they differ from those of typical placental mammals in an unusual pattern of chromosome sizes and a DNA content equal to half that of most mammals. These reports can be interpreted so as to illuminate some anomalies of the genetics of fowl. These anomalies include incomplete dominance of the trait barred4,5, ticking6, and alteration of phenotypic sex without visible alterations in the karyotype7. One explanation of these anomalies could be that three-fourths of the normal genetic dose occurs fairly frequently in the chicken.

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References

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RAISBECK, B. Isochromosomes in the Chicken. Nature 212, 727–728 (1966). https://doi.org/10.1038/212727a0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/212727a0

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