A Reexamination of the role of poly-L-glutamic acid on duration of fertility in the chicken

Graduation date: 1989Dekalb XL Single Comb White Leghorn pullets were\ud immunized against poly-L-glutamic acid (PGA) complexed with\ud methylated bovine serum albumin (MBSA) at 9 weeks of age.\ud Pullets immunized against MBSA as well as non-immunized\ud pullets served as controls. At 18 weeks of age, pullets\ud were moved from a floor pen into cages and photostimulated\ud with 14 hours light/day. At 25 weeks of age, pullets were\ud inseminated. Eggs collected over a 21-day interval, were\ud incubated in order to determine fertility. Thereafter,\ud subsequent inseminations were made at approximately monthly\ud intervals, the last at 55 weeks of age. Eggs were\ud collected and incubated as above following the last insemination.\ud Immunization had no effect on body weight, egg\ud production, or fertility following either the first or the\ud last insemination (P> .05). Based upon immunoprecipitation\ud using antiserum developed in rabbits, the oviducts of\ud immunized birds did not contain PGA. A positive reaction\ud was observed when extract of oviducts from control birds\ud were tested. This work confirmed the presence of PGA in\ud the chicken oviduct and demonstrated that duration of fertility,\ud either early or late in the production cycle, was\ud unaffected by immunization against PGA prior to sexual\ud maturity. The biological role of PGA may best be determined\ud by an immunocytochemical approach