Identify protein processing in endoplasmic reticulum pathway as an effective factor in regulating broodiness of

Broodiness, a maternal behavior and instinct for natural breeding in poultry, inhibits egg production. The turkey is one of the most important species having strong broody behavior and affects the poultry of its industry. Broody genetic and environmental factors influencing broodiness in poultry have been extensively studied, but the molecular regulation mechanism of broodiness is somewhat unclear. In this research, pituitary transcriptome of commercial turkey broiler from BUT breed was studied during the laying and broodiness phases. A total of 334 differentially expressed genes were identified. There were 229 upregulated and 104 downregulated at egg-laying phases compared with brooding phases. In the present study analysis of genes using KEGG software revealed that the genes in the Protein processing in endoplasmic reticulum pathway (P <0.05) are critical for controlling broodiness in the turkeys. Gene network analysis revealed that CANX, HSPA8, P4HB, HSPBP1 and ATF4 may act as important modulators of hormonal and behavioral mechanism associated with broodiness.