Gene Encyclopedia¶
This section collects the eight core gene loci covered by pigeon testing. Each page describes the biological function of the gene, its role in racing pigeons, the strength of the evidence in published research, and the limits of interpretation, so that fanciers can understand "what a genetic test can and cannot tell you".
Genes at a glance¶
| Gene | Topic | Evidence grade |
|---|---|---|
| LDHA | Energy metabolism · association with survival in racing | B |
| DRD4 | Dopamine signalling · association with racing performance | B |
| CRY1 | Circadian rhythm · association with racing performance | B |
| MSTN | Muscle development regulation · limited evidence in pigeons | D |
| LRP8 | Lipid transport · association with racing performance | B |
| GSR | Antioxidant · association with racing performance | B |
| CASK | Synaptic function · polymorphism identification | C |
| F-KER | Feather keratin · polymorphism identification | D |
Evidence grades explained¶
- A: consistently supported by several independent studies;
- B: a racing-pigeon-specific study in a peer-reviewed journal with statistical significance;
- C: a single or preliminary study in pigeons;
- D: biologically plausible, but evidence in racing pigeons is limited.
Reading guidance¶
- The "Research evidence" section on each page gives the verifiable literature sources for that gene;
- The "Scientific limitations" section sets out the boundaries of the evidence — a genotype is not a prediction of results;
- Breeding decisions should combine race results, pedigree and multi-gene information.