Cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying differences in beak morphology likely involve interactions among multiple embryonic populations. We exchanged neural crest cells destined to participate in beak morphogenesis between two anatomically distinct species. Quail neural crest cells produced quail beaks in duck hosts and duck neural crest produced duck bills in quail hosts. These transforma...

BACKGROUND Quail eggs as a food item have recently been introduced into the diet of some Cameroonians. These eggs are being sold in local markets, but with many unfounded health claims. One claim is that quail eggs can reduce blood glucose levels in diabetics. It was therefore necessary to evaluate the effect of consuming quail eggs on blood glucose levels, lipid profiles, and oxidative stress ...

Perfluorobutane sulfonate (PFBS) can be a final degradation product of perfluorobutane sulfonyl fluoride (PBSF)-based chemicals. Surfactants based on this chemistry are potential replacements for perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS)-related products and have many potential applications in industrial and commercial processes and applications. To evaluate the potential hazard that PFBS may pose to av...

Separate subchronic reproductive toxicity studies were conducted using mallard ducks (Anas platyrhynchos) and northern bobwhite quail (Colinus virginianus). Three groups (32/group; 16 male-female pairs) of 17-week-old ducks (F0 generation) were fed Purina Game Bird Breeder Layena diets containing mean (+/-SD) 33.2 (+/-2.7), 68.9 (+/-1.8), and 140.9 (+/-5.1) microg/g strychnine for 20 weeks, wit...

Chromosome homology is highly conserved between chicken (Gallus gallus) and Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica) and a few chromosome rearrangements occurred in the evolution of these two species. Microsatellite markers are invaluable tools in molecular biology for genome analysis, mapping, search for quantitative trait loci, and phylogenetic studies. In the current study, 25 microsatellite seque...

In a series of three experiments, we examined the hypothesis that female Japanese quail, Coturnix japonica, are motivated to form aggregations to reduce the probability of harassment by conspecific males. When in the presence of a conspecific male, female quail both sought others of their sex and remained near them. However, if no males were present, females were indifferent to or tended to avo...

BACKGROUND Cytochrome P450 1 (CYP1) genes are biomarkers for aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) agonists and may be involved in some of their toxic effects. CYP1s other than the CYP1As are poorly studied in birds. Here we characterize avian CYP1B and CYP1C genes and the expression of the identified CYP1 genes and AHR1, comparing basal and induced levels in chicken and quail embryos. METHODOLOGY/...

Reproductive performance of many avian species, including Japanese quail, is reported to be modulated by specific temporal phase relation of serotonergic and dopaminergic oscillations. Accordingly, it has been shown that the serotonin precursor 5-HTP and the dopamine precursor l-DOPA given 8 h apart induce gonadal suppression and given 12 h apart lead to gonadal stimulation, while other tempora...

BACKGROUND: Gammacoronaviruses, which are single-stranded, positive-sense RNA viruses, are responsible for a wide variety of existing and emerging diseases in birds. The Gammacoronaviruses primarily infect avian hosts. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to investigate the genetic diversity of Gammacoronaviruses in quail population in Iran. METHODS: In the period from 2016 to 2018, samples from 47 qua...

Aulonocephalus pennula is a nematode living in the caeca of the wild Northern bobwhite quail (Colinus virginianus) present throughout the Rolling Plains Ecoregion of Texas. The cytochrome oxidase 1 (COX 1) gene of the mitochondrial genome was used to screen A. pennula in wild quail. Through BLAST analysis, similarity of A. pennula to other nematode parasites was compared at the nucleotide level...