Myostatin (GDF-8) was discovered 25 years ago as a new transforming growth factor-β
family member that acts as a master regulator of skeletal muscle mass. Myostatin is made by …

Domestic animals are invaluable resources for study of the molecular architecture of
complex traits. Although the mapping of quantitative trait loci (QTL) responsible for …

The Eneolithic Botai culture of the Central Asian steppes provides the earliest
archaeological evidence for horse husbandry,~ 5500 years ago, but the exact nature of early …

Intense selective pressures applied over short evolutionary time have resulted in
homogeneity within, but substantial variation among, horse breeds. Utilizing this population …

Myostatin inhibition therapy has held much promise for the treatment of muscle wasting
disorders. This is particularly true for the fatal myopathy, Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy …

Background Thoroughbred horses have been selected for traits contributing to speed and
stamina for centuries. It is widely recognized that inherited variation in physical and …

The horse was domesticated only 5.5 KYA, thousands of years after dogs, cattle, pigs,
sheep, and goats. The horse nonetheless represents the domestic animal that most …

Body size is an important characteristic for horses of various breeds and essential for the
classification of ponies concerning the limit value of 148 cm (58.27 inches) height at the …

Gene doping is prohibited in human and equine competition alike. The World Anti-Doping
Agency (WADA), Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) and International Federation of …

Selective breeding for speed in the racehorse has resulted in an unusually high frequency of
the C-variant (g. 66493737C/T) at the myostatin gene (MSTN) in cohorts of the …