Characterization of four endogenous viral genes in semi-congenic lines of meat chickens

Restriction fragment length polymorphism analyses were used to examine endo genous viral genes (ev genes or ALVE genes) of the avian leukosis viral (AL V) family in semi-congenic lines of meat chickens. The Generation 6 Lines e xamined in this study were semi-congenic in that each contained birds with either zero or with one ALVE gene in hemizygous state plus some solitary lo ng terminal repeat (LTR) elements. Using four restriction enzymes on chicke n genomic DNA and two probes, one representing the entire ALV retroviral ge nome and one with only a small part plus the LTR, four ALVE genes were char acterized. Each seemed to be complete with no detectable deletions. None ap peared to be similar to known ALVE genes of White Leghorns, whereas two of the four may be the same as ALVE genes reported by others in White Plymouth Rock chickens.