Genetic evidence from Indian red jungle fowl corroborates multiple domestication of modern day chicken
2008

Genetic Evidence of Multiple Domestication of Chickens from Indian Red Jungle Fowl

Sample size: 76 publication 10 minutes Evidence: high

Author Information

Author(s): Kanginakudru Sriramana, Metta Muralidhar, Jakati RD, Nagaraju J

Primary Institution: Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics, Hyderabad, India

Hypothesis

Is the Indian red jungle fowl a contributor to the domestication of modern chickens?

Conclusion

The study confirms that chicken domestication has occurred independently in different locations in Asia, including India.

Supporting Evidence

  • Microsatellite analyses showed clear genetic separation between Indian red jungle fowl and domestic chickens.
  • Population expansion was indicated by lower Harpending's raggedness index in both Indian red jungle fowl and domestic chickens.
  • The study found evidence of multiple domestication events contributing to the genetic diversity of Indian domestic chickens.

Takeaway

Scientists studied Indian birds to see how chickens came from wild jungle fowl, and they found that chickens were domesticated in different places, not just one.

Methodology

The study analyzed 76 Indian birds using microsatellite markers and mitochondrial D-loop sequences.

Potential Biases

Potential bias due to the limited geographic scope of the sample collection.

Limitations

The study may not represent all populations of jungle fowl and domestic chickens due to limited sampling.

Participant Demographics

The study included 56 Indian red jungle fowl, 16 domestic chickens, and 4 grey jungle fowl from various locations in India.

Statistical Information

P-Value

0.01

Statistical Significance

p<0.05

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1186/1471-2148-8-174

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