The Myostatin gene: an overview of mechanisms of action and its relevance to livestock animals

Aiello, D., Patel, K. and Lasagna, E. (2018) The Myostatin gene: an overview of mechanisms of action and its relevance to livestock animals. Animal Genetics, 49 (6). pp. 505-519. ISSN 1365-2052 doi: 10.1111/age.12696

Abstract/Summary

Myostatin, also known as Growth Differentiation Factor 8, a member of the Transforming Growth Factor-beta (TGF-β) super-family is a negative regulator of muscle development. Myostatin acts at key points during pre- and post-natal life of amniotes which ultimately determine the overall muscle mass of an animal. Mutations have already demonstrated the impact of attenuating Myostatin activity on muscle development. A number of large animals including cattle, sheep, dogs and humans display the ‘double muscled’ phenotype due to mutations in the Myostatin gene. Here we firstly give an overview of the molecular pathways regulated by Myostatin that control muscle development. Then we describe the natural mutations and their associated phenotypes as well as the physiological influence of altering Myostatin expression in livestock animals (cattle, sheep, goat, horse, pig, rabbit and chicken). Knowledge of null alleles and polymorphisms in the Myostatin gene are of great interest in the animal breeding field and it could be utilized to improve meat production in livestock animals.

Item Type	Article
URI	https://reading-clone.eprints-hosting.org/id/eprint/77388
Identification Number/DOI	10.1111/age.12696
Refereed	Yes
Divisions	Life Sciences > School of Biological Sciences > Biomedical Sciences
Publisher	Wiley
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