Genetic regulation of meat production by embryonic muscle formation – a review

Abstract

The biological basis for meat production in livestock animals is localized in the muscles, where lean meat production is under the genetic control of tissue-specific and more ubiquitously operating genes. The muscle tissue-specific MyoD gene family is at the centre of the genetic regulation of myoblast proliferation and differentiation into myofibres. The regulation of embryonic muscle tissue formation (development) by the MyoD genes is duscussed in the context of livestock animals used in meat production. The possibility that the MyoD genes could be useful candidate genes for breeding is discussed. It is concluded that marker assisted selection (MAS) using markers in functional genes is advantageous over MAS using associated markers. ZUSAMMENFASSUNG: Genetische Regulierung der Fleischproduktion bei der embryonalen Muskelbildung - Ein Literaturüberblick Die biologische Grundlage für Fleischproduktion, lokalisiert in den Muskeln, steht unter genetischer Kontrolle durch gewebsspezifische una mehr ubiquitär arbeitende Gene. Die gewebsspezifische MyoD Genfamilie in den Muskeln befindet sich im Zentrum der genetischen Regulierung des Prozesses der Myoblastteilung und Differenzierung zu Myofasern. Die Ubersicht betrifft Regulierung der Bildung des embryonalen Muskelgewebes (Entwicklung) mit Hilfe der MyoD Gene. Die Möglichkeit, daß MyoD Gene erfolgreiche Kandidatengene für Tierzüchtung sein können, wird besprochen. 'Marker-assisted selection' (MAS) mit Hilfe von Markern funktioneller Gene sollte vorteilhafter sein als MAS mit gekoppelten DNA-Sequenzen. RÉSUMÉ: Régulation génétique de la production de viande par la formation embryologique des muscles - un résumé La base biologique de la production de viande dans les animaux d'élevage se situe dans les muscles, là où la production de viande maigre est sous contrôle génétique de gènes générals et tissu-spécifiques. La famille des gènes muscle-spécifiques MyoD forme le centre de la régulation des procès de prolifération des myoblastes et de différenciation vers les myofibres. Le but de cet article rétrospectif est de situer la discussion sur la régulation de la formation embryologique des muscles par les gènes MyoD dans le cadre de l'élevage. La possibilité que les gènes MyoD soient des gènes candidats utiles pour l'élevage sera discutée. La conclusion faite est que 'marker assisted selection' (MAS) en employant des marquers situés dans des gènes fonctionnels a plus d'avantages que MAS avec des marquers associés.

Genetic variation in the porcine myogenin gene locus

“…Within a few thousand bp, the recombination percentage will be almost zero. So a PCR-RFLP detection of gene-specific haplotypes allows a fast detection of functional polymorphisms in which the same gene is involved (Te Pas and Visscher 1994). We describe the localization of four haplotypes within the porcine MYOG gene locus that can be detected by PCR-RFLPs with MspI.…”

“…Comparison of the sequence we describe here with another recently reported sequence of the porcine MYOG gene (Briley et al 1995) also shows differences only outside these regions (see the EMBL data base entry X89007). Association studies require the genetic screening of many animals, showing the need for fast methods like PCR-based tests, rather than time-consuming methods such as Southern-RFLP or sequencing (Te Pas and Visscher 1994). Fast and easily detectable PCR-RFLP tests detecting polymorphic sites near to, but outside the coding and regulatory regions of a gene can be associated with functional sequence divergence of a gene.…”

“…A fast PCR-RFLP test now offers the possibility to perform association studies with growth characteristics (Te Pas and Visscher 1994).…”

A novel polymorphism of the myogenin gene is associated with body measurement traits in native Chinese breeds

“…MyoG has a central position within the MyoD gene family, not only because MyoG expression abrogates myoblast proliferation potential and regulates the differentiation of mononucleated myoblasts into multinucleated myofibers (Wright et al, 1989;Weintraub et al, 1991;Pas and Visscher, 1994), but also due to MyoG being the only member of the MyoD gene family that is expressed in all myogenic cell lines (Anton et al, 2002). The MyoG gene regulates the expression of muscle-specific genes, which encode several proteins that control the formation and apoptosis (or necrosis) of muscle fibers (Olson, 1990;te Pas et al, 1999).…”

Effect of estrogen receptor, follicle stimulating hormone and myogenin genes on the performance of Large White sows

“…Li et al (1998) found significant effects of FSHB gene on pig litter size in the population of Landrace, Yorkshire and Yorkshire hybrids crossed with the Erhualian breed. The myogenin gene (MYOG) plays a role during the terminal transformation of myoblasts into myofibres (Te Pas and Visscher, 1994). The effect of MYOG gene on reproductive traits was reported only by Horák et al (2004).…”