EN
This study was conducted to identify the differences and similarities among three Japanese quail (JQ) lines (JQ lines: white, brown and wild-black) and the European quail (EQ). The qRT-PCR was used to determine the expression of growth related genes: growth hormone (GH) and Insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I), immune genes (Interleukins 1β, IL-1β, Interferon-α, IFN-α), pigmentation genes; dopachrome tautomerase, (Dct) and endothelin receptor type B2, (EdnrB2) in several quail tissues, while PCR-RFLP analysis of the mitochondrial 12S rRNA gene was conducted in quail meat. Expression levels of the pigmentation related genes (Dct and EdnrB2) were significantly higher (P<0.05) in the JQBr and EQ lines than in JQwh and they were comparable between JQbr and wild EQ. Expression levels of the growth related genes (GH and IGF-1) were significantly higher in 3 JQ lines than in EQ. No differences between all 4 quail lines were found in the expression of the immune related genes. In conclusion, the PCR-RFLP method may be used to distinguish between the Japanese and the European quail, which is important for breeding programs, labeling meat products and biodiversity studies.