Restriction patterns of adult chicken globin genes at early and late stages of embryonic development.

Globin mRNA isolated from anemic chicken was transcribed into cDNA and integrated into the Pst I cleavage site of plasmid pBR 322. After cloning in E. coli strain HB 101 and colony hybridization with 125I-labelled globin mRNA the plasmids of individual clones were characterized by hybrid arrested cell-free translation. Thus we could isolate clones containing alpha or beta globin chain nucleotide sequences. DNA was isolated from chicken blastoderms incubated for 18-20 h and from 11 d chicken embryos. A comparison of the restriction maps of the DNA from the two developmental stages with labelled nick translated plasmids and labelled cDNA did not indicate any globin gene rearrangements between these two stages of embryonic development. We conclude, that the adult chicken globin genes show a constant genomic organization during embryonic development. However, the restriction patterns of the globin gene family of the chicken strain investigated revealed some differences after 2 generations of propagation.