GENETIC CHARACTERIZATION OF PAKISTANI PIGEONS USING MITOCHONDRIAL GENE

Abstract

Birds are significant component of an ecosystem and play an integral role in maintenance of an ecosystem. Many birds are of economic importance as they are source of food and their guano used as fertilizer. In Pakistan there is diversified array of avian fauna. Pigeons are most common striking feature of the avian pool of Pakistan with significant usage. Conventionally they have been characterized only on the basis of phenotypic and physical characteristics. Present study has been designed to characterize them more authentically on the basis of mitochondrial molecular markers to know more about the evolutionary relationship among local and with the avian fauna of other regions of the World. Mitochondrial Cytb gene was partially amplified and sequenced of 25 Dab Walay pigeons. Unique SNPs were found in their haplotypes which could be used as molecular markers for their identifications.