INHERITANCE OF ELECTROPHORETIC VARIANTS OF LIVER ESTERASES IN THE CHICKEN

Abstract

Agar gel electrophoresis of chicken liver extracts revealed the presence of four regions of esterase activity, which were designated I, II, III and IV. Electrophoretic variants of esterases in Region I, which were classified as arylesterase, were shown to be controlled by one autosomal Es-4 locus with three multiple alleles Es-4^A, Es-4^B and Es-4^O. The alleles, Es-4^A and Es-4^B, are codominant, while Es-4^O is recessive to the two codominant alleles. Genetic variation was found in esterases in Region IV which were classified as acetylesterase. These variants in Region IV were shown to be controlled by two codominant alleles Es-6^A and Es-6^B on one autosomal locus. Organ-specific differences in esterase isozyme patterns were also observed.