Cryptic female choice (CFC) is a component of postcopulatory sexual selection that allows females to influence the fertilization success of sperm from different males. While its precise mechanisms remain unclear, they may involve the influence of the protein composition of the female reproductive fluids on sperm functionality. This study maps the protein composition of the cloacal fluid across different phases of female reproductive cycle in a sexually promiscuous passerine, the barn swallow. Similar to mammals, the protein composition in the female reproductive tract differed between receptive (when females copulate) and nonreceptive phases. With the change in the protein background, the enriched gene ontology terms also shifted. Within the receptive phase, distinctions were observed between proteomes sampled just before and during egg laying. However, three proteins exhibited increased abundance during the entire receptive phase compared to nonreceptive phases. These proteins are candidates in cryptic female choice, as all of them can influence the functionality of sperm or sperm-egg interaction. Our study demonstrates dynamic changes in the cloacal environment throughout the avian breeding cycle, emphasizing the importance of considering these fluctuations in studies of cryptic female choice.

• MeSH
• Cloaca * metabolism   MeSH
• Passeriformes physiology   metabolism   MeSH
• Proteome metabolism   analysis   MeSH
• Proteomics * methods   MeSH
• Seasons MeSH
• Reproduction * physiology   MeSH
• Sexual Behavior, Animal physiology   MeSH
• Spermatozoa metabolism   physiology   MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Male MeSH
• Female MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Proteome MeSH

According to research, egg quality and lysozyme content are influenced by a number of factors, which are mostly known in the case of commercial hybrids, while in breeds included in genetic resources conservation programmes, new research results in this regard are emerging. The aim of the study was to determine the effect of egg laying time and genotype of selected Polish native breeds of hens on egg quality and lysozyme content and activity in the albumen. The study material consisted of eggs collected from four strains of laying hens included in the Polish conservation programme, i.e., Green-legged Partridge (Z-11), Yellow-legged Partridge (Ż-33), Rhode Island Red (R-11) and Leghorn (H-22). At week 56, 28 eggs were randomly collected at 7:00 and 13:00 h from each breed of hen and assessed for quality. Laying time influenced certain egg quality traits. Eggs laid by hens in the morning were characterised by 1.7 g lower total weight and albumen weight, 2.4 pores/cm2 higher number of shell pores, 0.15 higher albumen pH values and 0.17 lower yolk pH values compared to those laid in the morning. The time of laying did not affect the level and activity of lysozyme in the albumen. A significant negative correlation was found between eggshell traits and albumen height, and between Haugh unit and lysozyme content and activity in the albumen. The studied egg quality traits were more influenced by genotype than by the egg-laying time.

• Keywords
• egg laying time, egg quality, lysozyme, native breeds of hens,
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH

Major evolutionary transitions were always accompanied by genetic remodelling of phenotypic traits. For example, the vertebrate transition from water to land was accompanied by rapid evolution of olfactory receptors and by the expansion of genes encoding lipocalins, which - due to their transporting functions - represent an important interface between the external and internal organic world of an individual and also within an individual. Similarly, some lipocalin genes were lost along other genes when this transition went in the opposite direction leading, for example, to cetaceans. In terrestrial vertebrates, lipocalins are involved in the transport of lipophilic substances, chemical signalling, odour reception, antimicrobial defence and background odour clearance during ventilation. Many ancestral lipocalins have clear physiological functions across the vertebrate taxa while many other have - due to pleiotropic effects of their genes - multiple or complementary functions within the body homeostasis and development. The aim of this review is to deconstruct the physiological functions of lipocalins in light of current OMICs techniques. We concentrated on major findings in the house mouse in comparison to other model taxa (e.g., voles, humans, and birds) in which all or most coding genes within their genomes were repeatedly sequenced and their annotations are sufficiently informative.

• Keywords
• LCN, lipocalins, major urinary protein, microbiota, mouse, odorant, odorant-binding protein, retinol-binding protein,
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Review MeSH

The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of the genotype (guinea fowl, native breed Leghorn, and commercial hybrid hens), storage time (0, 14, 28 d) and storage temperature (fresh, 5, 20°C) on eggshell quality traits and microbiological contamination of eggshell, eggshell membranes, and albumen. A total of 150 hens (50 hens per genotype-divided into 2 equal groups because of the results replication) were used. There were 150 eggs (50 per genotype) used for microbial analysis and 600 eggs used for the analysis of eggshell quality. The effects of genotype, storage time, and storage temperature were observed. Moreover, interactions between these factors were calculated. The significant effect of genotype (P = 0.0001) was found in egg weight, in all observed parameters of eggshell quality (proportion, thickness, strength, surface, and index), eggshell contamination of Escherichia coli (EC) and total number of micro-organisms (TNM), penetration of TNM into eggshell membranes (P = 0.0014), and penetration of TNM into albumen (P = 0.0019). Storage time significantly affected egg weight and all parameters of eggshell quality except the eggshell strength and index. It also significantly affected count of Enterococcus (ENT) on eggshell, TNM in eggshell membranes and TNM in albumen. Storage temperature significantly influenced egg weight (P = 0.0001) and all parameters but eggshell thickness and surface. Regarding the microbial contamination, storage temperature significantly affected a count of ENT on shell, TNM in shell membranes, and TNM in albumen. Concerning significant interactions, the interaction among genotype and storage time was found significant (P = 0.0148). Fresh and 28-day-old commercial hybrid eggs were the most contaminated, whereas guinea fowl eggs (fresh and 14 d old) and Leghorn hen eggs (fresh, 14, 28 d old) had the lowest level of contamination by EC. When looking for an alternative to laying hens, guinea fowls should be taken into consideration due to their higher resistance to diseases, ability of adaptation to different environmental conditions, and especially in terms of eggshell quality and therefore egg safety.

• Keywords
• Guinea fowl, genotype, microbial contamination, storage temperature, storage time,
• MeSH
• Food Safety MeSH
• Housing * MeSH
• Chickens * genetics   MeSH
• Ovum MeSH
• Egg Shell MeSH
• Eggs MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Female MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH

Eggshell colour, quality, and biosafety of table eggs are of significant commercial interest. To date, there have been few studies investigating the relationship between eggshell pigmentation and internal egg quality in commercially bred birds. Moreover, the genetic basis and mechanisms behind the effects of extrinsic factors on deposition of antimicrobial compounds in egg white and eggshell pigments are not fully understood. In the present study, we evaluate the effect of chicken breed identity, eggshell pigmentation and the role of extrinsic factors (year and breeder identity) on variability in the concentrations of 2 major egg white antimicrobial proteins (AMPs), lysozyme (LSM), and ovotransferrin (OVOTR), across 23 traditional chicken breeds. We found that chicken breed identity and eggshell pigmentation explained most variability in the concentration of egg white LSM and OVOTR. Year and breeder identity were also significant predictors of egg white LSM and OVOTR variability, and showed selective effects on the deposition of both AMPs in egg white. We also documented a positive correlation between concentration of egg white LSM and eggshell cuticle protoporphyrin in tinted and dark brown eggs, but not in brown, white, and blue eggs. We assume that a combination of both intrinsic genetic and hormonally regulated extrinsic factors is responsible for this relationship and for the variability in egg white AMPs. In this study, we demonstrate the existence of a relationship between eggshell pigmentation and egg white AMPs content in the eggs of traditional chicken breeds that may advertise the egg's antimicrobial potential and biosafety. These findings provide novel insights into the relationship between eggshell pigmentation and egg internal quality and may stimulate the recovery and exploitation of traditional chicken breeds for egg production, where the demands for egg quality and biosafety, in conjunction with animal welfare, are a priority.

• Keywords
• albumen, eggshell colour, lysozyme, ovotransferrin, protoporphyrin IX,
• MeSH
• Immunomodulation genetics   MeSH
• Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides genetics   metabolism   MeSH
• Chickens genetics   immunology   metabolism   MeSH
• Pigmentation MeSH
• Avian Proteins genetics   metabolism   MeSH
• Egg Shell chemistry   MeSH
• Egg Proteins genetics   metabolism   MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides MeSH
• Avian Proteins MeSH
• Egg Proteins MeSH