Special Issue "The Myostatin Gene: Future Challenges in Animal Science"

A special issue of Animals (ISSN 2076-2615). This special issue belongs to the section "Animal Genetics and Genomics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 10 December 2021.

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Emiliano Lasagna
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Guest Editor
Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences, University of Perugia, Borgo XX Giugno, 74, 06121 Perugia, Italy
Interests: animal genomics; animal breeding and conservation; cattle production
Special Issues and Collections in MDPI journals
Dr. Domenico Aiello
E-Mail
Co-Guest Editor
1. Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences, University of Perugia, Borgo XX Giugno, 74, 06121 Perugia, Italy
2. CIRIAF (Interuniversity Research Center on Pollution and Environment), University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
Interests: molecular biology; epigenetics; molecular markers, DNA.

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Myostatin (MSTN), also known as Growth and Differentiation Factor 8 (GDF8), is a member of the Transforming Growth Factor β(TGF‐β) superfamily and is one of the major regulators of skeletal muscle development. The MSTN gene is highly conserved among mammalian species, and it acts in an almost unique manner to negatively control muscle development. A number of large animals, including cattle, sheep, goats, horses, pigs, and dogs display the so-called ‘double muscled’ (DBM) phenotype due to mutations in the MSTN gene. Therefore, MSTN and its regulation is becoming one of the hot spots for association analysis of growth and meat traits in the animal breeding. For these reasons, a greater understanding of MSTN induction, regulation, and overall function is needed to dissect and validate MSTN as a marker to consider in livestock production. This Special Issue aims to improve our understanding of how MSTN contributes to skeletal muscle metabolism, and or influences other traits, such as, reproduction, metabolic efficiency, immunity, and in general all the productive traits in livestock animals. We are pleased to invite original research and review papers that address interrelation between genetics, physiology, behavior, and production aspects related with MSTN action in different animal species. We are looking forward to your contributions to this Special Issue.

Dr. Emiliano Lasagna
Dr. Domenico Aiello
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All papers will be peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Animals is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

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Keywords

  • double muscling
  • meat production
  • genetic polymorphisms
  • productive traits
  • animal breeding

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

Communication
Effects of Myostatin Mutation on Onset of Laying, Egg Production, Fertility, and Hatchability
Animals 2021, 11(7), 1935; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11071935 - 29 Jun 2021
Viewed by 373
Abstract
Increased body weight and muscle mass, along with improved feed efficiency, by myostatin (MSTN) mutation in quail, supports the potential use of MSTN as a selection marker for higher meat yield in the poultry industry. Although economically important traits of broilers have been [...] Read more.
Increased body weight and muscle mass, along with improved feed efficiency, by myostatin (MSTN) mutation in quail, supports the potential use of MSTN as a selection marker for higher meat yield in the poultry industry. Although economically important traits of broilers have been studied using recently generated MSTN mutant quail, the effect of MSTN mutation on egg production has not yet been investigated. In this study, several economically important traits of layers, including egg production, reproduction, and body composition of hens, were compared between MSTN homozygous mutant, heterozygous mutant, and wild-type (WT) quail. In terms of egg production, MSTN homozygous mutant quail, showing significantly delayed onset of egg laying, laid significantly heavier eggs, but a significantly lower number of eggs compared to WT quail for 20 days after 3 months of age, resulting in similar total egg production among groups. In addition, the percentage proportion of egg white and yolk in egg weight were similar among groups. Furthermore, similar fertility and hatchability of eggs from MSTN homozygous mutant breeding pairs and WT breeding pairs indicated normal reproductive function of MSTN mutant quail. These findings will provide scientific rationales for the consideration of MSTN as a potential selection marker for layers in the poultry industry. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Myostatin Gene: Future Challenges in Animal Science)
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Article
Promising Role of Growth Hormone-Boosting Peptide in Regulating the Expression of Muscle-Specific Genes and Related MicroRNAs in Broiler Chickens
Animals 2021, 11(7), 1906; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11071906 - 26 Jun 2021
Viewed by 497
Abstract
Appropriate skeletal muscle development in poultry is positively related to increasing its meat production. Synthetic peptides with growth hormone-boosting properties can intensify the effects of endogenous growth hormones. However, their effects on the mRNA and miRNA expression profiles that control muscle development post-hatching [...] Read more.
Appropriate skeletal muscle development in poultry is positively related to increasing its meat production. Synthetic peptides with growth hormone-boosting properties can intensify the effects of endogenous growth hormones. However, their effects on the mRNA and miRNA expression profiles that control muscle development post-hatching in broiler chicks is unclear. Thus, we evaluated the possible effects of synthetic growth hormone-boosting peptide (GHBP) inclusion on a chicken’s growth rate, skeletal muscle development-related genes and myomiRs, serum biochemical parameters, and myofiber characteristics. A total of 400 one-day-old broiler chicks were divided into four groups supplied with GHBP at the levels of 0, 100, 200 and 300 μg/kg for 7 days post-hatching. The results showed that the highest levels of serum IGF-1 and GH at d 20 and d 38 post-hatching were found in the 200 μg/kg GHBP group. Targeted gene expression analysis in skeletal muscle revealed that the GHBP effect was more prominent at d 20 post-hatching. The maximum muscle development in the 200 μg/kg GHBP group was fostered by the upregulation of IGF-1, mTOR, myoD, and myogenin and the downregulation of myostatin and the Pax-3 and -7 genes compared to the control group. In parallel, muscle-specific myomiR analysis described upregulation of miR-27b and miR-499 and down-regulation of miR-1a, miR-133a, miR-133b, and miR-206 in both the 200 and 300 μg/kg GHBP groups. This was reflected in the weight gain of birds, which was increased by 17.3 and 11.2% in the 200 and 300 μg/kg GHBP groups, respectively, when compared with the control group. Moreover, the maximum improvement in the feed conversion ratio was achieved in the 200 μg/kg GHBP group. The myogenic effects of GHBP were also confirmed via studying myofiber characteristics, wherein the largest myofiber sizes and areas were achieved in the 200 μg/kg GHBP group. Overall, our findings indicated that administration of 200 μg/kg GHBP for broiler chicks could accelerate their muscle development by positively regulating muscle-specific mRNA and myomiR expression and reinforcing myofiber growth. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Myostatin Gene: Future Challenges in Animal Science)
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Planned Papers

The below list represents only planned manuscripts. Some of these manuscripts have not been received by the Editorial Office yet. Papers submitted to MDPI journals are subject to peer-review.

1. Review: Myostatin, the ‘speed gene’, in Thoroughbred racehorses and other horse breeds

Emmeline W Hill and David E MacHugh

2. The results of the study of nt821del and F94L mutations of MSTN gene among the Russian populations of the meat cattle breeds

Elena Konovalova

3. Variation in the Cervus elaphus (Red deer) myostatin gene

Huitong Zhou, Lily Cunningham and Jon Hickford

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