New Atlas of Chicken Genetics May Help Breed Disease Resistant Birds

An international team of researchers led by Professor Huaijun Zhou from the UC Davis Department of Animal Science has created the first-ever detailed map of how genes are regulated in chickens - a breakthrough that could help scientists breed birds that are more resistant to diseases like avian influenza.

The study, published April 8 in Nature Genetics, brings together a massive amount of genetic and epigenetic data of more than 100 chicken breeds from around the world. The team, which included scientists at Aarhus University in Denmark, China Agricultural University and elsewhere, analyzed samples from 28 different chicken tissues to build a comprehensive atlas of gene activity.

This is the most complete picture we've ever had of how genes work in chickens. It's a huge step forward for both basic biology and practical breeding."

Professor Huaijun Zhou, UC Davis Department of Animal Science

This atlas reveals how millions of genetic variants affect the way genes are regulated, both in terms of gene expression and how RNA is processed, giving researchers critical tools to better understand agriculturally important traits like growth, reproduction and immune response.

The research comes at a crucial time as the United States continues to battle a widespread outbreak of bird flu, a strain of H5N1 influenza that has affected more than 100 million birds and spread to dairy cow herds.

Identifying Natural Resistance to Infection

This new genetic knowledge could help identify birds that are naturally more resistant to infection. That could lead to healthier flocks, more resilient farming systems and fewer economic losses for poultry producers.

"This work highlights how advanced genetics can support animal health and food security," said Zhou, who was recently recognized with the National Academy of Sciences Prize in Food and Agriculture Sciences for his contributions to poultry genomics.

The project is part of the international FarmGTEx initiative, which is building similar genetic resources for livestock species around the world.

Dailu Guan and Ying Wang from the Department of Animal Science contributed to the research as did scientists from Iowa State University, the University of Maryland, University of Missouri, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service, Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, Beijing Institute of Genomics, Centre for AgriBiosciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hunan Agricultural University, L'Institut Agro, Ludwig Maximilian University, McGill University, Nanjing Agricultural University, Université Paris-Saclay, Queen Mary University of London, Scotland's Rural College, South China Agricultural University, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Edinburgh, University of Melbourne, University of Oxford, Westlake University.

The research was supported by funding from the USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture and Agricultural Research Service, California Agricultural Experiment Station, Chinese Academies of Science, National Key Research and Development Program of China, National Natural Science Foundation of China, Jiangsu Agricultural Industry Technology System, Science and Technology Planning Project of Guangzhou City and the Local Innovative and Research Teams Project of Guangdong Province.