Genes in horses are segments of DNA that encode the biological instructions necessary for the development, functioning, and reproduction of equine species. These genetic sequences influence a wide range of traits, including coat color, speed, endurance, and susceptibility to diseases. Genetic research in horses focuses on identifying specific genes and genetic markers associated with these traits, as well as understanding the inheritance patterns and genetic diversity within and between horse breeds. Studies in equine genetics contribute to breeding programs, disease prevention strategies, and the overall understanding of horse biology. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the identification, function, and implications of genes in equine health and performance.
Wilbur DJ, Allerhand A.The titration behavior of individual tyrosine residues of myoglobins has been studied by observing the pH dependence of the chemical shifts of Czeta and Cgamma of these residues in natural abundance of 13C Fourier transform NMR spectra (at 15.18 MHz, in 20-mm sample tubes, at 37 degrees) of cyanoferrimyoglobins from sperm whale, horse, and red kangaroo. A comparison of the pH dependence of the spectra of the three proteins yielded specific assignments for the resonance of Tyr-151 (sperm whale) and Tyr-103 (sperm whale and horse). Selective proton decoupling yielded specific assignments for Cze...
Ambler RP, Meyer TE, Kamen MD.The amino-acid sequences of the cytochromes c2 from the photosynthetic non-sulfur purple bacteria Rhodomicrobium vannielii and Rhodopseudomonas viridis have been determined. Only a single residue deletion (at position 11 in horse cytochrome c) is necessary to align the sequences with those of mitochondrial cytochromes c. The overall sequence similarity between these cytochromes c2 and mitochondrial cytochromes c is closer than that between mitochondrial cytochromes c and the other cytochromes c2 of known sequence, and in the latter multiple insertions and deletions must be postulated before a ...
Wetz K, Crichton RR.In apoferritin, but not in ferritin, 1.0 +/- 0.1 cysteine residue per subunit can be modified. In ferritin 3.3 +/- 0.3 lysine residues and 7.1 +/- 0.7 carboxyl groups per subunit can be modified, whilst the corresponding values for apoferritin are 4.4 +/- 0.4 lysine residues and 11.0 +/- 0.4 carboxyl groups per subunit. Modification of lysine residues which maleic anhydride and carboxyl groups with glycineamide in apoferritin which has been dissociated and denatured in guanidine hydrochloride leads to the introduction of 9.1 +/- 0.5 maleyl groups per subunit and 22.0 +/- 0.9 glycineamide resid...
The Journal of heredityNovember 1, 1975
Volume 66, Issue 6 318-326 doi: 10.1093/oxfordjournals.jhered.a108640
Gardner EJ, Shupe JL, Leone NC, Olson AE.Comparative studies are being conducted on hereditary multiple exostosis in man and the horse. In both, there is an unquestionable inheritance pattern of a typical single, dominant, autosomal gene. Those who carry the gene have a one-half chance of transmitting it to each offspring, whereas, those who do not carry the gene do not transmit this abnormality to their progeny. The lesions are clinically and histologically similar; no persistent chromosomal irregularities have been associated with the abnormality in either man or the horse and no single evidence of malignancy in either man or anima...
Wilgus H, Stellwagen E.Changes in the visible absorbance spectra of complexes of horse heart cytochrome c hemopeptide 1-65, peptide 66-104, and their guanidinated counterparts are compared with those characteristic of native and fully guanidinated ferricytochrome c over the pH range 7 to 11. Upon raising the pH, the methionine ligand in the guanidinated hemopeptide 1-65.peptide 66-104 complex is replaced by a strong field ligand. By contrast, the methionine ligand in the hemopeptide 1-65.guanidinated peptide 66-104 is replaced by a weak field ligand. These results demonstrate that lysine 13 does not ligate with the ...
Melnick JL, Hampil B.This paper summarizes the results of the fourth part of a comprehensive programme undertaken by the WHO International Reference Centre for Enteroviruses and other laboratories for the testing of enterovirus equine antisera prepared for long-term use as reference antisera. The studies were designed to appraise the specificity of the immune serum of horses inoculated with prototype enteroviruses (coxsackievirus types A2, 4, 8, 10, 11, 14-16, 18-21, and 24, and echoviruses E21, 27, 30, 31, and 33). Tests for neutralizing antibody were performed against the homologous viruses and against available...
Hesselholt M.By means of isoimmunizations and heteroimmunizations 10 equine blood typing reagents were isolated. The specific antibodies were complete agglutinins, which were used in the direct agglutination test in saline medium. The reagents were designated A2, C, D, E, G, H, I, K, Da1, and Da2 reagent. Da1 and Da2 are preliminary designations. The data obtained from blood typing of a family material and a population material of Icelandic horses showed that the occurrence of each blood type factor is controlled by a single, dominant gene. The family data tended to show that the blood factors under invest...
Melnick JL, Hampil B.This paper summarizes the results of co-operative studies undertaken by the WHO International Reference Centre for Enteroviruses and a number of WHO Regional Reference Centres for viruses, WHO Virus Collaborating Laboratories, or other laboratories in a comprehensive testing programme of enterovirus equine antisera. The studies were designed to appraise the specificity of immune serum prepared in horses against five representative prototype enteroviruses (poliovirus 1, coxsackieviruses A9 and B3, and echoviruses 4 and 11). Tests for neutralizing antibody were performed not only against the hom...
STORMONT C, SUZUKI Y.By means of a starch-gel technique suggested by Kristjansson, 3 albumin phenotypes A, AB and B are demonstrable in the serum of horses. As indicated by data on the inheritance of these phenotypes and by a gene-frequency analysis of the distribution of the phenotypes in 2 breeds of horses, the results are consistent with the interpretation that the 3 phenotypes are controlled by a pair of codominant, autosomal alleles. These 3 phenotypes can be diagnosed by examining either the albumin region or the post-albumin region of the gels. Hence, diagnosis in one region serves as an independent check o...
DARLINGTON RW, RANDALL CC.Equine abortion virus was purified from the plasma of infected golden Syrian hamsters by differential centrifugation and nuclease treatment. The preparations were essentially free of nonviral elements on electron microscopic examination, and sedimentation in sucrose and potassium tartrate density gradients resulted in a single visible band. Electron microscopy of this band showed it to be composed of viral particles, and injection into hamsters resulted in infection and death of the animals. The viral particles had a sedimentation coefficient of approximately 2200 S and a hydrated density of 1...
Jungeblut CW.1. A flocculation reaction has been described which occurs between alcoholic extracts of pneumococci and antipneumococcus serum. 2. The reaction appears to be species-specific. It is not strictly type-specific, as slight or moderate cross-reactions occurred between Type I serums and Type II and Type III extracts. 3. The flocculating power of the serum from five horses undergoing immunization with pneumococcus, Type I, did not develop to any extent before the end of the 4th or 5th month. 4. In the case of two of these horses in which it was possible to carry out parallel tests on a larger numbe...
Marsella R.Information on skin barrier in horses is limited. A study on the epidermal ultrastructure of normal and allergic horses documented disorganized amorphous intercellular lipids in the stratum corneum of allergic samples. These findings are similar to atopic canine and human skin. Currently, there is no published study comparing skin barrier function parameters between normal and allergic horses; thus, the functional implications of the ultrastructural changes are unknown. In normal horses, body location, gender, breed, and ambient conditions affect skin barrier parameters, such as Transepidermal...
Yang L, Li P, Huang X, Wang C, Zeng Y, Wang J, Yao X, Meng J.Training is essential for enhancing equine athletic performance, but the genetic mechanisms that regulate athletic performance are unknown. Therefore, this paper aims to identify candidate genes and metabolic pathways for the effects of training on equine athletic performance through multi-omics analyses. Methods: The experiment selected 12 untrained trot-type Yili horses, which underwent a 12-week professional training program. Blood samples were collected at rest before training (BT) and after training (AT). Based on their race performance, whole blood and serum samples from 4 horses were ch...
Ulaangerel T, Mu S, Sodyelalt J, Yi M, Zhao B, Hao A, Wen X, Han B, Bou G.The success or failure of embryo fixation is crucial for embryo attachment and later development. As an epithelial chorioallantoic placenta-type animal, the horse has a special process of embryo implantation, and the mechanism of embryo fixation in horses is still unclear. Methods: In this study, the structural and transcriptomic characteristics of endometrial tissue from the fixed and nonfixed sides of 20-day gestation embryos in Mongolian horses were investigated to search for important genes and potential molecular markers associated with the fixation phase of equine embryos. Results: A com...
Yokomori T, Tozaki T, Segawa T, Itou T.Previous studies have examined the relationship between hair characteristics and temperament traits in various animals. A partial genetic association has been suggested in humans because whorl formation and neurological development occur simultaneously during the fetal period. In the horse industry, anecdotal evidence suggests a link between the forehead whorl position and temperament. In our previous study, the heritability of forehead whorl positioning was h=0.653, indicating significant genetic contributions in thoroughbreds. Therefore, in this study, we designed a genome-wide association s...
Edling CE, Arevalo-Turrubiarte M, Premont A, Uribe MC, Forbes B, Kemp V, Weir J, Marr C, Lewis R, Jeevaratnam K.Athlete horses' contraction and conduction of the healthy heart influences racing performance. Gene expression patterns in the horse heart are not yet fully investigated. We aimed to evaluate the gene expression from the four chambers of the heart overall and with focus on genes involved in the electrophysiology of the heart in Thoroughbred racehorses with no clinical cardiac abnormalities. Tissue was collected from the left atrium (LA), right atrium (RA), left ventricle (LV), and right ventricle (RV). Total RNA was analysed by microarray technique. We compared gene expression in the heart cha...
Wang J, Ren W, Li Z, Li L, Wang R, Ma S, Zeng Y, Meng J, Yao X.Equine endurance exercise induces physiological changes that alter metabolism and molecular pathways to maintain balance after intense physical activity. However, the specific regulatory mechanisms remain under debate. Identifying differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and differential metabolites (DMs) associated with equine endurance is essential for elucidating these regulatory mechanisms. This study collected blood samples from six Yili horses before and after an 80 km race and conducted transcriptomics and metabolomics analyses, yielding 722 DEGs and 256 DMs. These DEGs were primarily enri...
Akçay S, Gurkok-Tan T, Ekici S.Intense physical activity in endurance horses triggers complex immune and inflammatory responses, yet the molecular mechanisms underlying these adaptations remain unclear. This study investigated immune-related transcriptomic changes following a 160 km endurance ride, focusing on sex-based differences. Using a bioinformatics approach, differentially expressed genes (DEGs), pathways, microRNAs (miRNAs), and transcription factors (TFs) were analyzed before (T0) and after (T1) the ride. A protein-protein interaction (PPI) analysis was conducted to identify key regulatory genes. Pathway enrichment...
Obradovic NA, McFadden A, Martin K, Vierra M, McLoone K, Martin E, Thomas A, Everts RE, Brooks SA, Lafayette C.This paper reports three novel KIT variants likely responsible for previously unexplained white patterning phenotypes observed in three groups of horses. White spots and markings may have substantial consequences on the value and health of domesticated horses. This study aims to elucidate the genetic mechanisms underlying depigmented coat colors to aid in producing prosperous herds. Aligned whole genome sequences were manually screened to identify three polymorphisms in a family of Anglo-Arabian horses (N = 7), a family of Warmblood horses (N = 5), and a single stock-type mare with unexplained...
Cheung HW, Wong KS, Cheng PCF, Tsang CYN, Farrington AF, Wan TSM, Ho ENM.Erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs) continue to be a significant threat to the integrity of human and equine sports. Besides conventional direct testing, monitoring the biomarkers associated with the effects of ESAs may provide a complementary approach via indirect detection to enhance doping control. In this study, we applied RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) to discover blood RNA biomarkers in Thoroughbred horses after administration with a long-acting form of recombinant human erythropoietin (rhEPO), methoxy polyethylene glycol epoetin beta, Mircera®. A single subcutaneous administration of Mi...
Baatar T, Song D, Weng Y, Wang G, Jin L, Guo R, Li B, Dugarjaviin M.The epigenetic regulation of gene expression through the covalent modification of histones is crucial for developing germline cells. To study the regulatory role of alternative splicing (AS) of euchromatic histone lysine methyltransferase 2 (EHMT2/G9A) in spermatogenesis in Mongolian horses, this study first examines the localization of the EHMT2 gene in testicular support cells and then predicts the higher-order structures of sequences with and without AS. Two types of lentiviral vectors for overexpression were subsequently constructed for the EHMT2 gene, one with AS and one without, to infec...
Pawlina-Tyszko K, Semik-Gurgul E, Podstawski P, Herc W, Witkowski M, Ropka-Molik K.Alterations in the genes involved in the creation of the extracellular matrix (ECM) were observed in our earlier transcriptome studies of sarcoids and their cell culture model. For a complete characterization of the underlying molecular pathways, it is imperative to comprehend the involvement of ECM modifications in the oncogenic transformation of sarcoid fibroblasts. Thus, the aim of this investigation was to describe the expression patterns of a set of genes that are essential for the rearrangements of the extracellular matrix, namely collagen genes, and elucidate possible mechanisms underly...
Yuen BP, Wong KS, So YM, Kwok WH, Cheung HW, Wan TSM, Ho EN, Wong WT.The development of gene therapy techniques introduces a potential risk of gene doping, which threatens the integrity of sport. In response to this challenge, we have developed a novel analytical method that employs a multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in conjunction with liquid chromatography high-resolution tandem mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS/MS) for the simultaneous identification of multiple transgenes in equine plasma within a single reaction. The method targets three potential doping transgenes: equine growth hormone 1 (eGH1), equine growth hormone-releasing hormone (eGHRH), and equi...
Liu Y, Liu Y, Bai D, Dugarjaviin M, Zhang X.Skeletal muscle satellite cells are muscle stem cells that play an important role in the growth, development, and repair of skeletal muscle as well as in the locomotor performance of the animal body. Lysine is the first limiting amino acid and is involved in multiple metabolic pathways in the organism to maintain overall physiological requirements. In this study, Mongolian horse satellite cells were cultured using lysine culture solution at different concentrations, and the proliferative capacity of satellite cells was detected by the cck-8 assay, and the optimal culture concentration was sele...
Ząbek T, Witarski W, Szmatoła T, Semik-Gurgul E, Sawicki S, Ropka-Molik K.We have explored the impact of DNA methylation changes on gene transcription in expanded equine chondrocytes treated with the histone deacetylase inhibitor (HDACi), Trichostatin A (TSA). The subjects were DNA and RNA samples prepared from articular cartilage cells derived from four animals in our previous study. Using Reduced Representation Bisulfite Sequencing (RRBS), we determined differentially methylated sites (DMS) and regions (DMRs) in the genomes of TSA-treated cells. We linked them to gene differential expression, as obtained from 3' mRNA sequencing data and the single-locus quantifica...
Zhang X, Liu Y, Ma W, Li L, Bai D, Dugarjaviin M.Mongolian horses are renowned for their remarkable endurance and ability to adapt to harsh environments. To delve deeper into the molecular mechanisms that underlie these traits, researchers conducted a comprehensive analysis of transcriptomic and proteomic changes in Mongolian horses at three distinct time points: before, immediately after, and 24 h following a 20 km run. The transcriptomic analysis uncovered significant variations in gene expression patterns across these time points. Specifically, 291 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified when comparing pre-exercise to post-e...
Lu Z, Wen M, Yao X, Meng J, Wang J, Zeng Y, Li L, Ren W.The reproductive performance of horses is closely associated with testicular development, which involves a complex network of gene regulation. The molecular mechanisms underlying the reproductive traits of Kazakh horses are yet to be fully understood. In this study, transcriptomic analysis was performed on testicular tissues from Kazakh horses at different developmental stages using whole-transcriptome sequencing, aiming to investigate differential gene expression and regulatory mechanisms during testicular development. The results revealed significant differential expression of 7678 mRNAs, in...
Frontiers in geneticsJuly 18, 2025
Volume 16 1630614 doi: 10.3389/fgene.2025.1630614
Gong W, Ding W, Bou T, Shi L, Lin Y, Shi X, Li Z, Wu H, Dugarjaviin M, Bai D.Ferulic acid (FA), a natural antioxidant, has attracted considerable attention for its regulatory potential in skeletal muscle development, energy metabolism, and muscle fiber type transformation. Unassigned: This study established a research system based on Mongolian horse skeletal muscle satellite cells to elucidate the molecular basis by which ferulic acid regulates muscle fiber type transformation through a non-coding RNA interaction network. Unassigned: A total of 18 differentially expressed miRNAs (DEMIRs) and 128 differentially expressed lncRNAs (DELs) were identified through transcript...
Wubulikasimu M, Liu J, Yao X, Meng J, Wang J, Zeng Y, Li L, Ren W.Kazakh horses, a distinguished breed in China known for their dual-purpose use in milk and meat production, exhibit early maturation, tolerance to coarse feeding, and strong resistance to environmental stress. However, the gene expression differences across various muscle tissues of Kazakh horses have yet to be elucidated. In this study, transcriptomic sequencing was performed on muscle tissues from three anatomical regions of Kazakh horses, including the longissimus dorsi (Gb), external oblique (Gf), and diaphragm (Gg) muscles. In the Gb and Gf groups, 426 differentially expressed genes (DEGs...
Liu J, Yang Y, Wen L, Wen M, Zeng Y, Ren W, Yao X.The Kazakh horse is an outstanding dual-purpose dairy and meat breed in China, characterized by early maturity, tolerance to coarse feed, and strong stress resistance. Previous studies have examined gene expression patterns in the testicular tissues of Kazakh horses at different age stages, but the molecular mechanisms regulating testicular sexual maturation remain unclear. To address this gap, this study conducted HE staining and in-depth transcriptome sequencing analysis of Kazakh horse testicular tissue before and after sexual maturity. HE staining showed that the G3 group had well-formed s...
Alves NC, Freitas MM, Faria JRD, Horta CL, Martins-Filho OA, Araújo MSS, Costa GMJ, Costa EA, de Almeida FRL, Amaral PHR, Pérez JCG, Lana ÂQ....Niacin acts as an antioxidant that protects cells from oxidative damage. This study evaluated the effects of adding niacin to the equine semen freezing extender on sperm quality and gene expression after cryopreservation. Ejaculates from ten stallions were frozen using the INRA 96 extender (control) or extenders supplemented with 10- and 20-mM niacin. After thawing, sperm were analysed for motility, kinematics, viability, membrane integrity, mitochondrial potential, lipid peroxidation, nitrite, hydrogen peroxide, malondialdehyde and reactive oxygen species (ROS) concentrations, DNA integrity, ...
Amaral TM, Ramos PDCA, Silva RA, Ferreira MM, Filho EDS.In the context of Brazilian equestrian sports, the Quarter Horse (QH) breed has the third largest population of registered horses and stands out for its numerous abilities in various disciplines. Studies on equine health and athletic performance parameters are scarce, especially involving molecular markers. Objective: This study aimed to investigate the differential expression of microRNAs and target genes involved in metabolic pathways of exercise and to assess hematological and clinical changes in 10 horses (Equus caballus Linnaeus) of the QH breed under different physiological conditions. H...
Li X, Qian S, Yang L, Yang X, Chang X, Zeng Y, Meng J.This study aimed to investigate the relationship between genes and metabolites involved in glycogen metabolism across different tissues of Yili mares using joint transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses. Glycogen content was measured in various tissues (pincer, trapezius, latissimus dorsi, gluteus medius, semitendinosus, external abdominal obliques, liver, and heart) from seven Yili mares. The liver, as the visceral tissue with the highest glycogen content, and the gluteus medius, as the muscle with the highest glycogen content, were selected for transcriptomic sequencing and metabolomic analys...
Takahashi K, Shirai T, Mukai K, Ebisuda Y, Sugiyama F, Yoshida T, Kitaoka Y.While exercise performance deteriorates in hot environments, heat stress may contribute to exercise-induced adaptations in skeletal muscle. In this study, we assessed transcriptional profiles of equine skeletal muscle following 3 min of high-intensity exercise (at the speed eliciting their maximal oxygen uptake) in cool [wet bulb globe temperature (WBGT) 15°C] or hot (WBGT 30°C) conditions. Differential gene expression was identified using DESeq2 (false discovery rate cutoff: 0.05, minimal fold change: 1.5). At 4 h after exercise, RNA-seq identified 176 and 156 genes that were differentially...
