Showing papers on "Coturnix published in 1992"

Immunocytochemical localization of androgen receptors in the male songbird and quail brain.

Abstract: The distribution of androgen receptors was studied in the brain of the Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica), the zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata), and the canary (Serinus canaria) by immunocytochemistry with a polyclonal antibody (AR32) raised in rabbit against a synthetic peptide corresponding to a sequence located at the N-terminus of the androgen receptor molecule. In quail, androgen receptor-immunoreactive cells were observed in the nucleus intercollicularis and in various nuclei of the preoptic-hypothalamic complex, namely, the nucleus preopticus medialis, the ventral part of the nucleus anterior medialis hypothalami, the nucleus paraventricularis magnocellularis, the nucleus ventromedialis hypothalami, and the tuberal hypothalamus. In the two songbird species, labeled cells were also observed in various nuclei in the preoptic-hypothalamic region, in the nucleus taeniae, and in the nucleus intercollicularis. Additional androgen receptor-immunoreactive cells were present in the androgen-sensitive telencephalic nuclei that are part of the song control system. These immunoreactive cells filled and outlined the boundaries of the hyperstriatum ventrale, pars caudalis, nucleus magnocellularis neostriatalis anterioris (both in the lateral and medial subdivisions), and nucleus robustus archistriatalis. The immunoreactive material was primarily present in cell nuclei but a low level of immunoreactivity was also clearly detected in cytoplasm in some brain areas. These studies demonstrate, for the first time, that androgen receptors can be detected by immunocytochemistry in the avian brain and the results are in general agreement with the binding data obtained by autoradiography with tritiated dihydrotestosterone. Immunocytochemical methods offer several advantages over autoradiography and their use for the study of the androgen receptor will greatly facilitate the analysis of steroid-sensitive systems in the avian brain.

Circadian nature of the photoperiodic clock in Japanese quail.

Abstract: The photoperiodic clock in quail (Coturnix colurnix japonica) is based upon a rhythm of photoinducibility (Oi) but the extent to which this rhythm is circadian remains unclear. Two types of experiment investigated this situation. In the first, gonadectomized quail were adapted to live in periods of darkness by training them on a schedule containing one short day and 3 days of darkness (SD/DD/DD/DD). They were then exposed to a single pulse of 6 or 10 h of light at different times across 3 days of darkness. The photoperiodic response, measured by the increase in LH secretion, showed clear rhythmicity, demonstrating unequivocally the circadian nature of Oi. The second set of experiments employed Nanda-Hamner cycles and varied the length of the photoperiod from 6 to 11 h. Responsiveness in a 36 h or a 60 h cycle was highly dependent upon the length of the photoperiod, something not predicted from theory. For instance, LD 6:30 was not photoperiodically inductive but LD 10:26 was clearly inductive. Close analysis of patterns of LH secretion indicated an unexpected delay before induction occurred and then a rapid rise to a stable level of induction. When LH was measured in every pulse under LD 10:26 there was no evidence that LH levels alternately increased and decreased. This is not consistent with the simplest interpretation of Nanda-Hamner experiments where alternate pulses of light are thought to “entrain” the rhythm or “induce” a photoperiodic response by coinciding with Oi. It is concluded that the quail's photoinducible rhythm is indeed based on a circadian rhythm but one that is only weakly self-sustaining. Possibly as a consequence of this, the rhythm's behaviour under abnormal photoperiodic cycles may be rather different from that found in other species and from other circadian rhythms in quail.

Survival and mean life span of the quail Coturnix c. coturnix

Abstract: Quail annual survival rate and mean life span were calculated using the techniques of Brownie et al.3 and Haldane. 5 The computations were based on data sets of 135 390 and 336 095 birds respectively ringed between 1938–43 and 1946–53 at two Italian localities. The data did not fit Brownie et al.5 models, but 1st data set fitted Haldane's. The mean annual survival rates of Quails were estimated as between 27 and 31%. These rates are comparable to those of other similar sized Galliformes and confirm the Quail as being an r-strategist.

Production, hatchability and fertility of eggs from breeding Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica) fed diets containing furazolidone.

Abstract: 1. Breeding Japanese quail were allocated to 8 groups, each group consisting of 20 females and males. The birds were fed one of 4 diets for up to 33 d: a control diet or a diet containing 200 mg/kg, 400 mg/kg or 1000 mg/kg furazolidone. Subsequently, quails were fed a furazolidone-free diet for up to 21 d. Egg production, quality, hatchability and fertility of the groups were measured. 2. Significant reduction in egg production occurred in birds fed 400 mg/kg and 1000 mg/kg furazolidone, the effect being more pronounced at the higher concentration. 3. Hatchability was reduced significantly for all groups of birds fed furazolidone and this effect was both dose and time dependent. The reduction in hatchability was attributable to an increase in infertile eggs rather than an increase in embryonic mortality. 4. Egg quality was affected, with more small eggs being produced by birds fed 1000 mg/kg furazolidone. 5. After removal of the experimental diets egg production of the affected groups returned to control values. Hatchability and fertility of affected groups also returned toward control values, but had generally not attained these values 21 d after the cessation of the experimental diets. 6. It was concluded that standard recommendations for the therapeutic dosage of poultry with furazolidone may not be appropriate for breeding Japanese quail.

Comparison of the rates of muscle protein metabolism between the domestic and the wild coturnix quail.

Abstract: Skeletal muscle functions in controlling movement and is the major organ of protein deposition and for the provision of amino acids in protein metabolism. Therefore, it is very interesting to find out if there is a relationship between muscle protein metabolism and biological function. There is some evidence of a genetic basis for muscle protein metabolism (Maeda et al., 1984, 1986, 1987a, b, 1990). Maeda et al. (1984, 1986) reported that muscle protein turnover rate differed among breeding stocks, i.e., between modern improved stocks and unimproved native chicken stocks, or among lines selected for body size. These differences in protein metabolism rate among stocks mean that selective breeding resulted in genetic differentiation in metabolic adaptation resulting in improvement. Almost all of the studies on protein metabolism have been conducted using domesticated animals. There is no report on protein metabolism of wild species. Probably, protein metabolism in wild animals and wild species differs from that in domesticated stocks. The coturnix quail is a good experimental animal for studies of muscle protein metabolism because the level of excretion of N'-methylhistidine (N'-MH) is valid as a measurement of muscle protein turnover rate. Fortunately, wild coturnix quail which migrate from Siberia to the islands of Japan every winter were captured. The present study was conducted to examine the difference in muscle

Expression of Japanese quail ovalbumin in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Abstract: A cDNA sequence coding for Japanese quail ovalbumin was used for the construction of expression plasmid under the ADH1 promoter of the yeast shuttle vector pVT101-U. The resulting recombinant expression vector pJK2 was used for the transformation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Expression of quail ovalbumin in yeast cells was demonstrated by Western blotting followed by immunochemical detection.