Evaluation of genetic variation within and between different chicken lines by DNA fingerprinting

A DNA fingerprinting technique was used to assess the extent of genetic variation within and between 12 lines of chickens of different origin. DNA fingerprints were obtained with the restriction endonucleases AluI and HinfI and with the oligonucleotide probes (CA)8, (CAC)5, (GGAT)4, and (GACA)4. Different methods that are based on band sharing and band frequency were tested to estimate genetic variation within and between populations. The genetic variability was significantly different within the populations. It was highest in a commercial broiler line and lowest in a White Leghorn inbred line. All three measures of genetic variation within populations provided results that were highly correlated (r = 0.89-0.97). A lower degree of correspondence was observed for the estimation of genetic variation between populations by three different methods. This is shown by differences of the phylogenetic trees and by coefficients of correlation between these measures ranging from r = 0.51-0.96.