Quantitative trait loci affecting growth and carcass composition of cattle segregating alternate forms of myostatin.

Abstract

The effects of the bovine myostatin gene on chromosome 2 on birth and carcass traits have been previously assessed. The objective of this study was to identify additional quantitative trait loci (QTL) for economically important traits in two families segregating an inactive copy of myostatin. Two half-sib families were developed from Belgian Blue x MARC III (n = 246) and Piedmontese x Angus (n = 209) sires. Traits analyzed were birth (kg) and yearling weight (kg); hot carcass weight (kg); fat depth (cm); marbling score; longissimus muscle area (cm2); estimated kidney, pelvic, and heart fat (%); USDA yield grade; retail product yield (%); fat yield (%); and wholesale rib-fat yield (%). Meat tenderness was measured as Warner-Bratzler shear force at 3 and 14 d postmortem. The effect of myostatin on these traits was removed by using phase information obtained from the previous study with six microsatellite markers flanking the locus. Selective genotyping was done on 92 animals from both families to identify genomic regions potentially associated with retail product yield and fat depth, using a total of 150 informative markers in each family. Regions in which selective genotyping indicated the presence of QTL were evaluated further by genotyping the entire population and additional markers. For the family with Belgian Blue inheritance (n = 246), a significant QTL for birth and yearling weight was identified on chromosome 6. Suggestive QTL were identified for longissimus muscle area and hot carcass weight on chromosome 6 and for marbling on chromosomes 17 and 27. For the family with Piedmontese inheritance (n = 209), suggestive QTL on chromosome 5 were identified for fat depth, retail product yield, and USDA yield grade and on chromosome 29 for Warner-Bratzler shear force at 3 and 14 d postmortem. Interactions suggesting the presence of QTL were observed between myostatin and chromosome 5 for Warner-Bratzler shear force at 14 d postmortem and between myostatin and chromosome 14 for fat depth. Thus, in families segregating an inactive copy of myostatin in cattle, other loci influencing quantitative traits can be detected. These results are the initial effort to identify and characterize QTL affecting carcass and growth traits in families segregating myostatin.

Haplotype diversity of the myostatin gene among beef cattle breeds

“…Given the high influence of the myostatin gene in the good muscular conformation of most European bovine beef breeds, and although there have been many efforts to identify other influencing genes and QTLs with smaller effects [5][6][7]35], it seems necessary to systematically screen most individuals in order to allow the management of this particular locus, and to possibly evaluate the effect of this and other genes in the phenotype.…”

Regulatory polymorphisms in the bovine Ankyrin 1 gene promoter are associated with tenderness and intramuscular fat content

“…The bovine ankyrin 1 gene has been mapped close to a QTL for fat associated traits, including marbling in meat [17-19] on bovine chromosome 27. In parallel, expression of the porcine ankyrin 1 gene has been associated with a number of meat quality traits, including tenderness, intramuscular fat level (IMF) and water-binding capacity [20].…”

Molecular characterization of myostatin (MSTN) gene and association analysis with growth traits in the bighead carp (Aristichthys nobilis)

“…Polymorphisms in candidate genes have potential use in markerassisted selection in domestic animals [47][48][49]. In this study, we demonstrated the significant association of g.2770C [ A with growth traits, suggesting that SNP in AnMSTN may be functionally involved in increasing the growth, or may be linked to a QTL for growth, altogether resulting in mediating growth performance in bighead carp.…”