Abstract: Disease resistance in domesticated fowl, and in particular, chickens, has been associated with certain alleles of the Rfp-Y and B systems of major histocompatibility genes in the birds. This invention provides a method of genotyping chickens which is useful for different breeds of chickens raised for meat and eggs. Methods for selecting disease-resistant chickens and for breeding disease-resistant chickens are also provided. The invention provides oligonucleotide probes for use in the methods. The haplotyping method can be used to select for breeding chickens having a reduced incidence and/or severity of disease, for example, Marek's disease and greater vigor and fecundity.

Abstract: Disease resistance in domesticated fowl has been associated with the B and Rfp-Y systems of major histocompatability genes. A method for breeding domesticated fowl to produce disease resistant offspring involves selecting at least one parent that has a B genotype, an Rfp-Y genotype or both that is characteristic of disease resistance and mating that parent with a second parent to produce a disease resistant offspring.

Abstract: Disease resistance in domesticated fowl has been associated with the B and Rfp-Y systems of major histocompatability genes. A method for breeding domesticated fowl to produce disease resistant offspring involves selecting at least one parent that has a B genotype, an Rfp-Y genotype or both that is characteristic of disease resistance and mating that parent with a second parent to produce a disease resistant offspring.

Abstract: Disease resistance in domesticated fowl has been associated with the B and Rfp-Y systems of major histocompatability genes. A method for breeding domesticated fowl to produce disease resistant offspring involves selecting at least one parent that has a B genotype, an Rfp-Y genotype or both that is characteristic of disease resistance and mating that parent with a second parent to produce a disease resistant offspring.

Abstract: Disease resistance in domesticated fowl, and in particular, chickens, has been associated with certain alleles of the Rfp-Y and B systems of major histocompatibility genes in the birds. This invention provides a method of genotyping chickens which is useful for different breeds of chickens raised for meat and eggs. Methods for selecting disease-resistant chickens and for breeding disease-resistant chickens are also provided. The invention provides oligonucleotide probes for use in the methods. The haplotyping method can be used to select for breeding chickens having a reduced incidence and/or severity of disease, for example, Marek's disease and greater vigor and fecundity.

Abstract: A method for determining the Rfp-Y or B-F haplotype of a chicken which involves a nucleic acid amplification-single-stranded conformational polymorphism (“SSCP”) method is disclosed.

Abstract: The major histocompatibility complex (MHC) of domesticated fowl, the B system, is known to contain three subregions which are identified as B-F, B-G and B-L. This invention includes a cDNA clone encoding a B-G antigen of the B system. MHC haplotyping is accomplished by use of novel probes provided by clones to detect restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) patterns typical for various B-G subregion alleles. Additional information concerning this invention is set forth in the attached manuscript entitled “Hypervariable sequence diversity in Ig V-like and leucine heptad domains in chicken histocompatibility B-G antigens”.

Abstract: Disease resistance in chickens has been associated with the Rfp-Y system of major histocompatability genes in chickens. A method for breeding chickens to produce disease resistant offspring involves selecting at least one parent that has an Rfp-Y haplotype that is characteristic of disease resistance and mating that parent with a second parent to produce a disease resistant offspring.

Abstract: The major histocompatibility complex (MHC) of domesticated fowl, the B system, is known to contain three subregions which are identified as B-F, B-G and B-L. This invention includes a cDNA clone encoding a B-G antigen of the B system. MHC haplotyping is accomplished by use of novel probes provided by clones to detect restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) patterns typical for various B-G subregion alleles.Additional information concerning this invention is set forth in the attached manuscript entitled "Hypervariable sequence diversity in Ig V-like and leucine heptad domains in chicken histocompatibility B-G antigens".