Molecular exercise physiology

Abstract

Abstract Molecular exercise physiology is the study of exercise physiology using molecular biology methods. The development of differentiated cell types is regulated by transcription factors such as the muscle-making MyoD that can specify the cell type of a cell. Similar transcription factors regulate the development of muscle, tendons, and bones. Maternal nutrition and exercise affect development of the embryo and this is commonly through epigenetic mechanisms. Adaptation to exercise is a consequence of signal transduction which involves i) the sensing of exercise-related signals such as calcium, mechanical stress, or hormones by sensor proteins; ii) the convection, amplification, and computation of such signals by signalling proteins and networks; and iii) the regulation of the actual adaptations through gene expression, protein breakdown, or cell death by effector proteins. Many sport- and exercise-related traits as well as development and body height depend on both common and rare DNA sequence variations. Examples for rare DNA sequence variations with a large effect on a sport- and exercise-related trait are the muscle mass-increasing myostatin (GDF8) loss-of-function and the haematocrit-increasing erythropoietin receptor (EPOR) gain-of-function mutations. In addition, hundreds to thousands of common DNA sequence variations contribute to the inherited variability of development, body height, strength, and endurance. Finally, current genetic performance tests are not meaningful as they only explain a fraction of the variation of sport- and exercise-related traits and there are ethical concerns.