In order to clarify the immunological and genetic features of functional Mhc class IIβ genes in chicken and quails, we established a modified RT-PCR method, which classify to major or minor B-Lβ genes. Using this methodlogy, we classified quail Mhc class IIβ (CojaIIβ ) sequences to major or minor CojaIIβ, and found interesting features of functional MhcIIβ genes by detail comparisons between the quail and chicken, and the quail H_TUA and L_TUA lines. First, one major and one minor B-Lβ genes was identified in the chicken B²¹ haplotype. Four major and six minor CojaIIβ genes in H_TUA line and two major and seven minor CojaIIβ genes in L_TUA line were identified in quail two lines, respectively. Major genes were highly expressed in most of organs but minor genes were lowly expressed in a part of organs. Meanwhile, minor CojaIIβ genes weakly expressed only in some immune organs, and this phenomenon suggest that these genes specifically appears depending on the modality and maturity of lymphocytes.

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MCSU (molybdenum cofactor sulfurase) deficiency is a xanthine metabolic disorder controlled by autosomal recessive gene in the Japanese Black cattle. The association among the mutant allele (m) of MCSU deficiency and carcass traits was investigated. The MCSU genotypes were diagnosed in 317 fattened steers whose either father, grandfather, or great-grandfather was the carrier sire. The steers were composed of 240 normals (MM) and 77 carriers (Mm) . The association analysis was carried out by two different approaches, i.e., using adjusted carcass records based on BLUE for non-genetic factors of shipping year, fattening farm, fattening period and slaughter age, and using unadjusted carcass records. In the former approach the BLUE were preliminarily obtained by using 48, 045 carcass records. On the other hand, the non-genetic factors were included in the model in the latter approach. The significance testing for the MCSU genotype was based on the GLMTEST program that handles the hypothesis tests for fixed effects under animal models. While the association among the MCSU genotype and carcass traits was not significant in carcass weight, daily gain, longissimus muscle area, rib thickness and subcutaneous fat thickness, only BMS number showed the significant (p<0.05) decreased effect in both approaches.

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