Abstract

The study was undertaken to characterise and identify the insulin like growth factor-I (IGF-I) and insulin genes in five varieties (Ash, Black, Pearl Ash, Pearl Black and White) of local helmeted guinea fowl using DNA technology. Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) was purified from blood samples of the five varieties and Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) amplification of DNA done with primers designed to amplify the two genes; insulin-like growth factors I (IGF-I) and insulin (I). Purification of PCR product and dye terminator sequencing was also carried out using samples prepared and loaded into the Beckman Taq capillary sequencer. IGF-I gene profiles of Pearl Ash, White, Ash, Black varieties were similar (83 percent); and insulin gene profile of Pearl Ash, Ash, Black, Pearl Black varieties were 91 percent similar.

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