Meeting Abstract

P1.64  Friday, Jan. 4  The Developmental Basis of Head Crests in the Domestic Pigeon VICKREY, A/I*; DOMYAN, E; KRONENBERG, Z; SHAPIRO, M/D; University of Utah; University of Utah; University of Utah; University of Utah u0574826@utah.edu

The domestic rock pigeon exhibits dramatic variation in a wide range of morphological traits, including plumage structures. We investigated the molecular and developmental basis of the head crest, a morphological trait characterized by a reversal in the direction of feather growth on the back of the head. These structures occur in many pigeon breeds, and similar structures are important in mate choice in wild bird species. Preliminary studies indicate that all crested domestic pigeons share a common single nucleotide variant. Furthermore, gene expression assays demonstrate that molecular polarity within the feather buds of the crest region has been reversed. This work provides new insights into feather development in the domestic pigeon, and can be used to help understand feather development and evolution in other avian species. In this presentation, we discuss the outcomes and protocols emerging from this work supported by the EDEN Research Coordination Network.