Araucana thread anyone?

[Brada Puhi]

"These data reveal that Rp maps to a region of Gga 2 that is distinct from the predicted location of genes previously associated with caudal truncation [10]–[14]. The 0.74 Mb critical interval contains the Iroquois homeobox genes, Irx1 and Irx2. The Iroquois genes encode transcription factors that function in patterning and regionalization of tissues early in development [15]. Irx1and Irx2 are prepattern and proneural genes first identified in Drosophila and Xenopus [16],[17]. Studies of gene function suggest that Irx genes have redundant yet distinct roles in development [18], [19]. Irx genes have been knocked out in mice and zebrafish with little effect on tail development [19]–[23]. However, the rumpless phenotype is dominant, suggesting that misexpression of Irx1 or Irx2 may underlie the trait, rather than loss of function."

So perhaps the partial tail is due to misexpression of the Irx genes responsible for early development of the vertebrate.

 

[smoothmule]

You're just restating what the article states. Think about what they are saying

 

[Brada Puhi]

Right, I was trying to restate it in simpler terms. Iʻm not sure what you mean about what thyʻre saying.

Wouldnʻt the Irx genes be the modifying genes they talked about earlier?

Thereʻs a cool video by NOVA called "What Darwin never knew" and they talk about how the Darwinʻs Finches all have the same gene for their beaks but there are differing strands of DNA inbetween the genes that control when a gene is turned on or off in the development stages, and it is these strands that make each species different. This sounds similar.

Aloha, Puhi

 

[Brada Puhi]

What I also thought was cool in that article was how some birds with the tuft gene(genotype) donʻt produce tufts, but their offspring will. Perhaps there is a gene similar to the Irx genes or Hox genes that caused them to not express that gene, but then the offspring received the correct Hox type gene from the other parent, to allow the offspring to generate tufts even though none of the parents had tufts.

kden, Puhi

 

[Ashburnham]

Just a few pics of my Australian Araucanas. I realize they are very different from the US standard.
I would love to breed some of yours, but they are unobtainable over here.
(Although mine do throw the occasional tailless bird.)


xxxx M

 

[ochochicas]

They are cute! You're right though...they have a very different build than the ones in the States. Your rooster is stunning.

 

[Ashburnham]

They are cute! You're right though...they have a very different build than the ones in the States. Your rooster is stunning.

Thanks - A lot of people would like to get their hands on that rooster,
but I'm not selling!


xxxx M

 

[Ravynscroft]

Just a few pics of my Australian Araucanas. I realize they are very different from the US standard. I would love to breed some of yours, but they are unobtainable over here. (Although mine do throw the occasional tailless bird.) xxxx M

I love my Araucanas, but I would soooo love to get my hands on some of those Aussie Araucana eggs!! I love their crests! You have beautiful birds, thank you for sharing them!

 

[TwistedFeathers]

Here in New Zealand our Araucanas follow the Aussie ones, which i believe follow the British, as i think(correct me if wrong) the British accept both the rumpless/tufted and the tailed/crested/muffed varieties.
Our aras are very similar to the ameraucana in build i have found, with the main difference being the crest that which our araucanas have down here at the bottom of the world.

Many breeders here would sell their own mothers for eggs from america,and many other countries also, as our gene pools are very limited in NZ, and we have only a small variety of breeds, as out importing/quarantine laws are so strict, it's near impossible to get anything into the country, and even if you can somehow manage to get permision it's insanely expensive.

 

[ochochicas]

Your rooster looks a little bit like my rooster. He has a crest, but he is 3/4 Ameraucana and 1/4 crested cream legbar. The picture isn't the best, but he just turned 4 months and started to crow this morning!