A sequence polymorphism in MSTN predicts sprinting ability and racing stamina in thoroughbred horses.
Variants of the MSTN gene encoding myostatin are associated with muscle hypertrophy phenotypes in a range of mammalian species, most notably cattle, dogs, mice, and humans. Using a sample of registered Thoroughbred horses (n = 148), we have identified a novel MSTN sequence polymorphism that is strongly associated (g.66493737C>T, P = 4.85x10(-8)) with best race distance among elite racehorses (n = 79). This observation was independently validated (P = 1.91x10(-6)) in a resampled group of Thoroughbreds (n = 62) and in a cohort of Thoroughbreds (n = 37, P = 0.0047) produced by the same trainer. We observed that C/C horses are suited to fast, short-distance races; C/T horses compete favorably in middle-distance races; and T/T horses have greater stamina. Evaluation of retrospective racecourse performance (n = 142) and stallion progeny performance predict that C/C and C/T horses are more likely to be successful two-year-old racehorses than T/T animals. Here we describe for the first time the identification of a gene variant in Thoroughbred racehorses that is predictive of genetic potential for an athletic phenotype.
Hill
Emmeline W
EW
Animal Genomics Laboratory, School of Agriculture, Food Science and Veterinary Medicine, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland. emmeline.hill@ucd.ie
Gu
Jingjing
J
Eivers
Suzanne S
SS
Fonseca
Rita G
RG
McGivney
Beatrice A
BA
Govindarajan
Preethi
P
Orr
Nick
N
Katz
Lisa M
LM
MacHugh
David E
DE
MacHugh
David
D
D000818:Animals; D005838:Genotype; D006736:Horses / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D055435:Myostatin / Q000235:genetics*; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D012420:Running
D055435:Myostatin