Identification of the Female-Specific DNA Fragments in Chickens.

It was previously demonstrated that when the genomic DNA of the chicken was digested with restriction enzyme, XhoI, and analyzed by agarose gel electrophoresis with ethidium bromide as a staining agent, a DNA fragment of about 0.7 kbp was detected specifically in the female (KAGAMI and TOMITA, 1990). In the present study, the W chromosome-specific DNA probe was found to hybridize with the initially detected female specific DNA fragment mentioned above.Consequently, it was concluded that the initially detected female specific DNA fragment of about 0.7 kbp was homologous to the W chromosome-specific DNA probe.