Microsatellites Diversity Analysis of Nigerian Chicken Genetic Resources in the Rising Climatic Change

Microsatellite diversity analysis is crucial for Nigerian chicken genetic resources (NCGR) in the rising climatic change which can help to identify genetic diversity within the population.The study described the microsatellites diversity of NCGR.Genomic Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) was isolated from chicken blood samples using Invitrogen DNA extraction kit.Twenty FAO/ISAG microsatellite markers were used in multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction to amplify 96 Nigerian chickens' genomes.The fluorescent amplicons were analyzed through Capillary Electrophoresis using Hitachi ABI PRISM 3130 X 1 DNA Sequencer at the Laboratorio de Genetica Animal, EMBRAPA Suinos e Aves, Concordia-SC, Brazil.Genetic diversity and calculations of the variations among the NCGR were performed in GenALEx software 6.5.The microsatellites analysis of NCGR revealed selection against heterozygosity in the population with the exception of 7 markers that showed negative inbreeding levels.The mean number of alleles per locus of 4.279 with sizes ranging from 87 to 360 base pairs were detected.A relative average of 50% heterozygosity was obtained in the NCGR population.Mean fixation index (F) over all loci for the chicken strains of 0.134±0.037indicates free interbreeding.The inbreeding co-efficient of FIS 0.145 across markers and population differentiations deviated from Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium.The NCGR population subdivision of FST 0.132 over the loci indicated moderate differentiation.Migrant rate of 2.01 was obtained for each marker across the NCGR population.Pairwise FST by AMOVA of 0.175 indicates low to moderate differentiation among the chicken sub-populations while the NW and SB chickens are highly differentiated, FST 0.175.Developing appropriate management strategies will help to protect the microsatellite diverse but less differentiated Nigerian chicken genetic resources (NCGR) population against the rising climatic change and will further support their adaptation and productivity.