Abstract: Hypoxia inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) is a transcriptional factor that plays an essential role both in organisms'adaptation to hypoxia and maintenance of oxygen homeostasis. Under normoxia, synthesized HIF-1α protein protein will be degraded immediately; under hypoxia, stabilized HIF-1α protein will dimerize with HIF-1β to form HIF-1 which could regulate oxygen homeostasis. Tibetan chicken have been living in high altitude and low-O₂ tension environment for many centuries, and has special molecular pathways for adaptation to hypoxia. This review will summary the genetic structure of HIF-1α gene and its role in hypoxia adaptation of Tibetan chicken .

Key words: HIF-1α; hypoxia; adaptation; highland; Tibet chicken