Preliminary investigations on comparative genetic evaluation between Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica) and African Bush Fowl (Pternistis bicalcaratus) using SDS-PAGE

Concerns about genetics and biodiversity of game birds have been increasing throughout the World.  Game birds are continuously being threatened due to increased hunting pressures, habitat destruction resulting from agricultural intensification and with fewer research activities and publications among others. Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica) is a small bird with obvious sexual dimorphism. The domesticated Japanese quail was derived from the wild Japanese quail (C. japonica).  The African Bush Fowl (Pternistis bicalcaratus) is a species of bird that is well adapted to the rainforest and savannah ecological zones of West Africa. They are cursorial birds, sharing a group with pheasant, quails, snowcocks and turkeys. In this study, Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) was utilized to investigate the genetic relationship between Japanese quail and African Bush Fowl. Sera proteins were prepared from blood samples extracted from each of the Quail and African Bush Fowl for electrophoretic analysis. After electrophoresis, data obtained were analyzed using clustering algorithm of the Unweighted Pair Group of PAlaeontological STatistics (PAST) software to evaluate their genetic relationship. Results generated from different clusters for both species showed genetic similarity coefficient of 98%. This result indicates that these two species of same Phasianidae family but different genera are very close and have non-distant genetic relationship; therefore this could be explored for enhanced breeding programs. Conclusively, both the Japanese quail and African Bush Fowl are known for their high quality of meat and for their good quality eggs, rich in proteins and vitamins, while quail eggs have many therapeutic virtues. The results obtained through this research lead to several solutions to increase these two populations since both species are exposed to hunting that has several negative effects including reducing the populations; hybridization can be done due to the genetic similarity between them, or an enhanced breeding program.