Griffiths R, Daan S, Dijkstra C
Biological Centre, University of Groningen, The Netherlands.
Proc Biol Sci. 1996 Sep 22;263(1374):1251-6. doi: 10.1098/rspb.1996.0184.
In theory, birds should control the sex ratio of the offspring they produce. In practice, we have very limited evidence to support this idea because of our difficulty in sexing nestling birds. In addition, extinction is facing an increasing number of birds. Our ability to help includes captive breeding which, again, is difficult if male and female adults cannot be recognized. Here we describe the discovery of a W-linked gene in the Great tit (Parus major). It is named CHD-W (chromodomain-helicase-DNA-binding protein W-linked), it is highly conserved and it is W-chromosome linked in a range of bird species. These birds also possess a second, non-W-linked CHD gene (CHD-NW). A single, simple polymerase chain reaction technique based on both genes can be used to identify the sex in a wide variety of birds.
从理论上讲，鸟类应该能够控制它们所产后代的性别比例。但实际上，由于我们很难对雏鸟进行性别鉴定，所以支持这一观点的证据非常有限。此外，越来越多的鸟类正面临灭绝。我们能够提供帮助的方式包括圈养繁殖，但同样，如果无法识别成年雌雄鸟，这也会很困难。在此，我们描述了在大山雀（Parus major）中发现的一个与W染色体连锁的基因。它被命名为CHD-W（染色体结构域-解旋酶-DNA结合蛋白W连锁），高度保守，并且在一系列鸟类物种中与W染色体连锁。这些鸟类还拥有另一个非W连锁的CHD基因（CHD-NW）。基于这两个基因的单一、简单的聚合酶链反应技术可用于鉴定多种鸟类的性别。
