Chromosomal localization of ev-1, a frequently occurring endogenous retrovirus locus in white Leghorn chickens, by in situ hybridization

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Abstract
The distribution of 12 endogenous retrovirus loci from 13 White Leghorn flocks of diverse geographical origin was examined using 508 birds. Only 1 locus, designated ev-1, was almost universally present (506 of 508 birds) and thus predominantly homozygous in this breed of chicken. Eleven other viral loci were observed at much lower frequencies, 3-30%, and were occasionally restricted to individual flocks. To further characterize the commonly occurring ev-1 viral locus and to provide a foundation for determining the mechanism by which these 12 endogenous retrovirus loci were generated, a new technique of indirect in situ hybridization was used to localize the chromosomal position of ev-1. By using a combination of specific probes, the position of ev-1 was localized to a small region on the long arm of chromosome 1. This research represents 1 of the 1st instances in which a defined segment of nonreiterated DNA coding for a known set of genes was localized to a specific region on a vertebrate chromosome by in situ hybridization.