Article on sex determination in numerous birds

Zoo Biology 00: 1–13 (2012)

RESEARCH ARTICLE

Sex Determination in 58 Bird Species and Evaluation of CHD Gene as a
Universal Molecular Marker in Bird
Sexing
Milos Vucicevic,1∗ Marija Stevanov-Pavlovic,1 Jevrosima Stevanovic,1
Jasna Bosnjak,1 Bojan Gajic,2 Nevenka Aleksic,1 and Zoran Stanimirovic1
1

Department of Biology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Belgrade, Serbia
Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Belgrade,
Serbia
2

The aim of this research was to test the CHD gene (Chromo Helicase DNAbinding gene) as a universal molecular marker for sexing birds of relatively distant species. The CHD gene corresponds to the aim because of its high degree of conservation and different lengths in Z and W chromosomes due to different intron sizes. DNA was isolated from feathers and the amplification of the CHD gene was performed with the following sets of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) primers:
2550F/2718R and P2/P8. Sex determination was attempted in 284 samples of 58 bird species. It was successful in 50 bird species; in 16 of those (Alopochen aegyptiacus, Ara severus, Aratinga acuticaudata, Bucorvus leadbeateri, Cereopsis novaehollandiae, Columba arquatrix, Corvus corax, C. frugilegus, Cyanoliseus patagonus,
Guttera plumifera, Lamprotornis superbus, Milvus milvus, Neophron percnopterus,
Ocyphaps lophotes, Podiceps cristatus, and Poicephalus senegalus), it was carried out for the first time using molecular markers and PCR. It is reasonable to assume that extensive research is necessary to define the CHD gene as a universal molecular marker for successful sex determination in all bird species (with exception of ratites). The results of this study may largely contribute to the aim. Zoo Biol.
C 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
00:1–13, 2012.

Grant sponsor: Ministry of Education and Science of Serbia; Grant number: 46002.
∗ Correspondence to: Milos Vucicevic, Research Assistant, Department of

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