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Vertebrate reproductive science and technology
RESEARCH ARTICLE

Assessment of avian sperm DNA fragmentation using the sperm chromatin dispersion assay

Stephen D. Johnston https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0290-5458 A E , Carmen López-Fernández B , Eloise Pappin A , Alexandra Hampe C , Robert Doneley D , Michael Lierz C and Jaime Gosálvez B
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A School of Agriculture and Food Sciences, The University of Queensland, Gatton, Qld 4343, Australia.

B Genetics Unit, Department of Biology, Autonomous University of Madrid, 28049, Cantoblanco Madrid, Spain.

C Department of Veterinary Medicine, Justus Liebig University, Giessen, 35392, Germany.

D School of Veterinary Science, The University of Queensland, Gatton, Qld 4343, Australia.

E Corresponding author. Email: s.johnston1@uq.edu.au

Reproduction, Fertility and Development 32(10) 948-952 https://doi.org/10.1071/RD19420
Submitted: 14 November 2019  Accepted: 11 March 2020   Published: 29 May 2020

Abstract

Herein we report a simple method for assessing avian sperm DNA fragmentation (SDF) using the sperm chromatin dispersion test (SCDt). The presence of sperm DNA damage was confirmed indirectly by correlating results of the SCDt determined in three bird species with results of a corresponding neutral comet assay (r = 0.99; P < 0.005). Frozen–thawed spermatozoa of each species were also incubated at 37°C for 5 h and the within- and between-species variation of SDF, as an indicator of sperm DNA longevity, examined. The dynamic assessment of SDF using the SCDt revealed species and individual bird (rooster and turkey) differences in sperm DNA longevity.

Graphical Abstract Image

Additional keywords: cockatiel, rooster, sperm DNA dynamics, turkey.


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