SURVEY OF MAJOR HISTOCOMPATIBILITY COMPLEX CLASS-II HAPLOTYPES IN 4 TURKEY LINES USING RESTRICTION-FRAGMENT-LENGTH-POLYMORPHISM ANALYSIS WITH NONRADIOACTIVE DNA DETECTION

Four turkey lines were typed for MHC Class II haplotypes with restrict ion fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis using a nonradioactiv e probe made from a chicken genomic clone of MHC Class II genes. The R FLP analysis detected 18 new patterns in the populations. There were t hree new haplotypes that had a frequency of about 10% or more in a pop ulation, whereas the rest appeared only once. The haplotype frequencie s were significantly different in the E line, selected only for increa sed egg production, and the F line, selected only for increased body w eight, compared with their respective randombred control lines. The sh ift of haplotype frequencies in the two selected lines seemed to be in opposite directions. One, but not the same, haplotype predominated in the selected lines, with about 50% of total haplotypes. Fewer haploty pes were frequent in the selected lines, whereas the frequencies in th e control lines were relatively widely distributed, with the most freq uent haplotype being below 35%. The frequency of homozygotes of the Cl ass II haplotypes was the highest in the F line.