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Related Concept Videos

Lethal Alleles02:41

Lethal Alleles

Agouti: A Lethal Allele
Lucien Cuénot discovered lethal alleles in 1905 while studying the inheritance of coat color in mice. The agouti gene is responsible for the color of the coat in mice. This gene codes for an agouti-signaling protein, which is responsible for melanin distribution in mammals. The wild-type allele gives rise to gray-brown coat color in mice, while the mutant allele gives rise to yellow coat color. In addition to coat color, the agouti gene is associated with the yellow...
Position-effect Variegation02:32

Position-effect Variegation

In 1928, a German botanist Emil Heitz observed the moss nuclei with a DNA binding dye. He observed that while some chromatin regions decondense and spread out in the interphase nucleus, others do not. He termed them euchromatin and heterochromatin, respectively. He proposed that the heterochromatin regions reflect a functionally inactive state of the genome. It was later confirmed that heterochromatin is transcriptionally repressed, and euchromatin is transcriptionally active chromatin.
Background and Environment Affect Phenotype02:27

Background and Environment Affect Phenotype

Although the genetic makeup of an organism plays a major role in determining the phenotype, there are also several environmental factors, such as temperature, oxygen availability, presence of mutagens, that can alter an organism’s phenotype.
An example of how genetic background affects phenotype can be seen in horses. The Extension gene in horses is responsible for their coat color. A wild-type gene (EE) produces black pigment in the coat, while a mutant gene (ee) produces red pigment. A...
Cell Specific Gene Expression01:58

Cell Specific Gene Expression

Multicellular organisms contain a variety of structurally and functionally distinct cell types, but the DNA in all the cells originated from the same parent cells. The differences in the cells can be attributed to the differential gene expression. Liver cells, whose functions include detoxification of blood, production of bile to metabolize fats, and synthesis of proteins essential for metabolism, must express a specific set of genes to perform their functions. Gene expression also varies with...
Complementation Tests00:49

Complementation Tests

A complementation test is a simple cross to identify whether the two mutations are located on the same gene or different genes. It was first performed by Edward Lewis in the 1940s while working on fruit flies. He developed the test to identify the location and arrangement of different mutations on chromosomes.
Organisms heterozygous for different mutations are crossed pairwise in all combinations. If present on different genes, the mutations can complement each other by providing the missing...
Epistasis Analysis01:09

Epistasis Analysis

Although Mendel chose seven unrelated traits in peas to study gene segregation, most traits involve multiple gene interactions that create a spectrum of phenotypes. When the interaction of various genes or alleles at different locations influences a phenotype, this is called epistasis. Epistasis often involves one gene masking or interfering with the expression of another (antagonistic epistasis). Epistasis often occurs when different genes are part of the same biochemical pathway. The...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 18, 2026

Grafting of Beads into Developing Chicken Embryo Limbs to Identify Signal Transduction Pathways Affecting Gene Expression
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Grafting of Beads into Developing Chicken Embryo Limbs to Identify Signal Transduction Pathways Affecting Gene Expression

Published on: January 17, 2016

Differentially expressed genes for aggressive pecking behaviour in laying hens.

Bart Buitenhuis1, Jakob Hedegaard, Luc Janss

  • 1Aarhus University, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Genetics and Biotechnology, Blichers Allée 20, P.O. Box 50, DK-8830 Tjele, Denmark. bart.buitenhuis@agrsci.dk

BMC Genomics
|November 21, 2009
PubMed
Summary

Aggressive behavior in chickens is linked to specific genes. Researchers identified 40 differentially expressed genes in hens, offering molecular insights into the pecking order and social hierarchy formation.

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Area of Science:

  • Animal Behavior Genetics
  • Neurogenetics of Social Hierarchy

Background:

  • Aggressive behavior influences resource access and reproduction in group-living animals.
  • The pecking order in chickens quantifies social hierarchy through aggressive interactions.
  • Genetic underpinnings of the chicken pecking order remain largely unexplored.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the genetic basis of aggressive behavior in chickens.
  • To identify genes associated with distinct roles in the chicken social hierarchy.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of gene expression profiles in brains of laying hens.
  • Categorization of hens into 'receivers' (R), 'peckers' (P), and mixed (P&R) groups.
  • Differential gene expression analysis and gene set enrichment analysis.

Main Results:

  • Forty differentially expressed genes were identified when comparing 'receivers' and 'peckers'.
  • Gene set analysis implicated genes related to synaptosomes and neurotransmission.
  • Specific gene ontology terms related to excitatory postsynaptic potentials and glutamate receptor binding were highlighted.

Conclusions:

  • Distinct gene expression profiles exist in the brains of pecking versus receiving hens.
  • Identified genes provide potential molecular targets for understanding the formation of the pecking order.
  • Further research can elucidate the precise mechanisms by which these genes regulate aggressive behavior.