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Veterinary journal (London, England : 1997)2010; 190(1); 39-48; doi: 10.1016/j.tvjl.2010.09.029

Candidate genes for physical performance in the horse.

Abstract: Intense selection for speed, endurance or pulling power in the domestic horse (Equus caballus) has resulted in a number of adaptive changes in the phenotype required for elite athletic performance. To date, studies in humans have revealed a large number of genes involved in elite athletic performance, but studies in horses are rare. The horse genome assembly and bioinformation tools for genome analyses have been used to compare human performance genes with their equine orthologues, both to retrieve pathways for these genes and to investigate their chromosomal distribution. In this review, 28 candidate genes for equine performance are presented that have polymorphisms associated with human elite athletic performance and may have impact on athletic performance in horses. A significant accumulation of candidate genes was found on horse chromosomes 4 and 12. Genes involved in pathways for focal adhesion, regulation of actin cytoskeleton, neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction, and calcium signalling were over-represented. Genome-wide association studies for athletic performance in horses may benefit from the strong conserved synteny of the chromosomal arrangement of genes in humans and horses.
Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Publication Date: 2010-11-05 PubMed ID: 21115378DOI: 10.1016/j.tvjl.2010.09.029Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

This research article presents a review of 28 candidate genes that may influence athletic performance in horses, identified through their association with human elite athletic performance and the comparison of human performance genes with their horse equivalents.

Study Overview and Purpose

  • The study has used the horse genome assembly and bioinformatics tools to compare the horse genes with their human counterparts, specifically focusing on genes known to influence elite athletic performance in humans.
  • The aim was to identify candidate genes in horses that may play a role in their physical performance and have shown polymorphisms associated with human athletic performance.

Genetic Findings and Analysis

  • In the review, 28 potential candidate genes for equine performance were identified. These genes had been previously associated with the exceptional athletic ability in humans.
  • Significantly, it was found that these candidate genes predominantly accumulated on horse chromosomes 4 and 12.
  • Furthermore, the study found that genes associated with specific biological mechanisms or pathways, such as focal adhesion, the regulation of actin cytoskeleton, neuroactive ligand-receptor interactions, and calcium signaling, were overrepresented. These pathways are central to muscular contraction and coordination, highlighting their importance to physical performance.

Implication and Potential Applications

  • The study illustrates that the strong conserved synteny, which refers to the preservation of gene order on chromosomes, between humans and horses could greatly benefit genome-wide association studies examining athletic performance in horses. This conserved synteny means many genes linked to athletic performance in humans may well be relevant to horses too.
  • The findings could have implications for horse breeding programs, which may be able to apply this genomic knowledge to select for specific desirable traits related to physical performance.
  • The research could also have potential applications in veterinary medicine, particularly in the context of treating fitness or performance-related issues in horses.

Cite This Article

APA
Schröder W, Klostermann A, Distl O. (2010). Candidate genes for physical performance in the horse. Vet J, 190(1), 39-48. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tvjl.2010.09.029

Publication

Veterinary journal (London, England : 1997)
ISSN: 1532-2971
NlmUniqueID: 9706281
Country: England
Language: English
Volume: 190
Issue: 1
Pages: 39-48

Researcher Affiliations

Schröder, Wiebke
  • Institute for Animal Breeding and Genetics, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Hannover, Germany.
Klostermann, Andreas
    Distl, Ottmar

      MeSH Terms

      • Animals
      • Genetic Association Studies / veterinary
      • Horses / genetics
      • Horses / physiology
      • Humans
      • Motor Activity
      • Physical Exertion
      • Polymorphism, Genetic
      • Synteny

      Citations

      This article has been cited 14 times.
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      7. Choi JY, Jang HJ, Park JW, Oh JD, Shin D, Kim NY, Oh JH, Song KD, Cho BW. Characterization of gene expression and genetic variation of horse ERBB receptor feedback inhibitor 1 in Thoroughbreds. Asian-Australas J Anim Sci 2018 Mar;31(3):309-315.
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      11. Sharma M, Singh A, Kumar V, Olla N, Arora R, Sharma R, Mohan NH, Ahlawat S. Advances in Equine Genomics: Decoding the Genetic Architecture of Morphology, Performance, Behavior, and Adaptation. Mol Biotechnol 2025 Dec 19;.
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      12. Puchalska M, Witkowska-Piłaszewicz O. Gene doping in horse racing and equine sports: Current landscape and future perspectives. Equine Vet J 2025 Mar;57(2):312-324.
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      13. Maniego J, Harding C, Habershon-Butcher J, Hincks P, Ryder E. Administration and detection of a multi-target rAAV gene doping vector in horses using multiple matrices and molecular techniques. Gene Ther 2024 Sep;31(9-10):477-488.
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      14. Reißmann M, Rajavel A, Kokov ZA, Schmitt AO. Identification of Differentially Expressed Genes after Endurance Runs in Karbadian Horses to Determine Candidates for Stress Indicators and Performance Capability. Genes (Basel) 2023 Oct 24;14(11).
        doi: 10.3390/genes14111982pubmed: 38002925google scholar: lookup
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