NSIYAPNZE KATTE YATO KATTE1*, SHEY NDOGMI YONIWO1, MULUH DIANA WEDON1, HAKO TOUKO BLAISE ARNAUD1, JULIUS AWAH-NDUKUM2
1Biotechnology and Bioinformatics Research Unit, Faculty of Agronomy and Agricultural Sciences, University of Dschang, Dschang, Cameroon.
2Department of Animal Production Technology, College of Technology, University of Bamenda, Bambili, Cameroon
Corresponding author: yato.katte@univ-dschang.org
Received: 03 April 2026, Reviewed: 11 May 2026, Revised: 09 July 2026, Accepted: 22 July 2026, Published: 08 Sep 2026.
https://doi.org/10.63342/cjbbs2026.34.010.en
ABSTRACT
The avian myxovirus-resistance (Mx) gene encodes an interferon-inducible antiviral protein and has been investigated as a candidate locus in host responses to RNA viruses, including Newcastle disease virus (NDV). This pilot study characterised exon 5 sequence variation in 17 chickens reared in Cameroon from five local and improved chicken groups. Genomic DNA from blood was used to PCR-amplify a 284-bp exon 5 fragment, followed by Sanger sequencing. Alignment with White Leghorn and Rhode Island Red reference sequences identified 56 variable nucleotide positions, including a tri-allelic site at position 214. Several variants were fixed or nearly fixed within the sampled groups. Nucleotide diversity was higher in Brahma and Goliath and lower in Kabir and naked-neck chickens. Distance-based clustering and haplotype-network analysis grouped sequences by chicken group, and AMOVA attributed most observed variation to differences among groups rather than within groups. Thus, exon 5 of Mx was polymorphic, and its diversity was structured across this small sample. Because the study analysed only one gene fragment in 17 birds and did not measure NDV-response phenotypes, the detected variants cannot be interpreted as resistance markers. Broader sampling, full-gene sequencing and direct disease-related phenotyping are required to assess their biological and breeding relevance.
Keywords: Mx gene, exon 5, SNP polymorphism, Newcastle disease virus, genetic diversity.
RÉSUMÉ
Le gène aviaire de résistance aux myxovirus (Mx) code une protéine antivirale inductible par l’interféron, étudiée comme locus candidat de la réponse aux virus à ARN, notamment au virus de la maladie de Newcastle (NDV). Cette étude pilote a caractérisé la variabilité de l’exon 5 chez 17 poulets élevés au Cameroun et appartenant à cinq groupes locaux et améliorés. Un fragment de 284 pb, amplifié par PCR à partir d’ADN sanguin, a été séquencé par Sanger. L’alignement avec les séquences de référence White Leghorn et Rhode Island Red a révélé 56 positions nucléotidiques variables, dont un site triallélique à la position 214. Plusieurs variants étaient fixés ou presque fixés dans les groupes échantillonnés. La diversité nucléotidique était plus élevée chez les Brahma et les Goliath, et plus faible chez les Kabir et les poulets à cou nu. La classification fondée sur les distances et le réseau d’haplotypes a regroupé les séquences selon le groupe; l’AMOVA a attribué la majeure partie de la variation aux différences entre groupes. L’exon 5 de Mx était donc polymorphe et structuré dans ce petit échantillon. Puisque l’étude ne portait que sur un fragment génique et n’évaluait aucun phénotype de réponse au NDV, les variants détectés ne peuvent pas être interprétés comme des marqueurs de résistance. Un échantillonnage élargi, le séquençage du gène complet et un phénotypage direct lié à la maladie sont nécessaires pour évaluer leur pertinence biologique et zootechnique.
Mots-clés : gène Mx, exon 5, polymorphisme des SNP, virus de la maladie de Newcastle, diversité génétique.
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