Genotype affects free amino acids of egg yolk and albumen in Japanese indigenous breeds and commercial Brown layer chickens.

Using a variety of genetic resources, the aim of this study is to see how genetic background affects egg traits in chickens. Three different chicken genotypes (a commercial Brown layer, BOR; 2 Japanese indigenous breeds, NGY and YKD) were investigated effects on genotype in 10 external and internal egg quality traits along with 20 yolk and albumen free amino acid traits. Significant effects on genotype in 10 external and internal egg quality traits and 18 yolk and 17 albumen amino acid traits were found (P < 0.05). In sizes and weights of egg and eggshell redness, there were significant differences among all combinations of genotype (BOR > NGY > YKD). In 14 yolk (Asn, Ser, Gln, Gly, His, Arg, Ala, Pro, Tyr, Val, Met, Leu, Phe, and Lys) and 8 albumen amino acid traits (Gln, Gly, His, Arg, Val, Ile, Leu, and Lys), BOR was significantly higher than NGY and YKD, while the opposite relations were seen in 2 amino acid traits (Cys and GABA). Moreover, phenotypic correlation analyses revealed that positive correlations among amino acid traits within each yolk and albumen were broadly seen (0.30 < r < 0.98, P < 0.05). However, there are almost no phenotypic correlations in amino acids between yolk and albumen in BOR and NGY, but negative correlations in YKD, which implying a potential use of untapped genetic resources for modifying amino acid balance. These results indicate genetic background affects not only sizes and weights of egg but also amino acid contents and their balance of yolk and albumen.