3 RESULTS
3.1 Characterization of Alleles
We successfully and selectively amplified MHC class I exon 3 genes across 80 individuals from four species of Turdidae family using HN36 and HN46 primers. An average of 22.7 clones per individual was sequenced. Sequences varied between 459 and 579 base pairs. The multiple sequence alignments of all sampled species were 411 base pair long. The final aligned MHC class I dataset included 285-291bp (Primers not include). Analysis of gDNA alignment revealed a total of 77 distinct Haplotypes/alleles including 47 PFA. Frequency, identity, distribution and the proposed name of haplotypes recovered from the individual of Turdidae family are given in (Supplementary Material Table S4). Each sequence was confirmed to exhibit similarity (81%-93%) with earlier reported passerine MHC class 1 sequences based upon BLAST search. The numbers of PFA sequences found in a single individual ranged from one to five, indicating that one to three loci exist in three of the four species of Turdidae family. However, the number of putative functional alleles found in a single individual ranged from two to seven in Turdus atrogularisexhibiting two to four loci. Number of the individual tested, number of PFA and pseudogene retrieved, the minimum number of functional loci estimated is given in Table.1. Three alleles (Tuna-MHCI*PFA 05=Tuen-MHCI*PFA 09,Tuna-MHCI*PFA 07=Tuen-MHCI*PFA 02 andTuen-MHCI*PFA 05=Tuna-MHCI*PFA 015) were shared amongTurdus naumanni and Turdus eunomus. Two alleles (Turu-MHCI*PFA 05=Tuat-MHCI*PFA 02 andTuru-MHCI*PFA 09=Tuat-MHCI*PFA 08) were also detected among individuals of Turdus ruficollis and Turdus atrogularis.Interestingly, genotypes comprising of one allele were by far the most repeated (26.67%, 8/30), followed by genotypes comprising two (16.67%, 5/30) and four alleles (13.3%, 4/30) in the population of Turdus naumanni . Almost pattern was consistent in population of Turdus eunomus and Turdus rufficollis . Genotypes constituting one allele (23.3%, 7/30) were the most repeated followed by three (16.67%, 5/30) in Turdus eunomus. Genotypes comprising one allele (33.33%, 5/15) were repeated in the population of Turdus rufficollis. Allelic repetition was absent in population of