Simultaneous genotyping to detect myostatin gene polymorphism in beef cattle breeds

Abstract

SummaryThe myostatin gene codes for a growth factor involved in muscle development, and polymorphism in this gene can have important economic consequences. Nine mutations affecting the amino‐acidic sequence have already been described, six of which are disruptive, inactivating the protein and causing bovine muscular hypertrophy. As the number of known mutations grows, it is necessary to develop a simple, routinely usable technique able to screen individuals in all populations. The oligonucleotide ligation assay (OLA) is proposed here for the rapid genotyping of the nine mutations known affecting the coding sequence in the main breeds of beef cattle. This technique showed its ability to reveal the genotype of individuals being a good tool to determine the frequency of each mutation in a population. The procedure is very flexible as new mutations can be added and removed at any time. Depending on the genotype of each individual, the technique allows breeders to make quick decisions on matings and general selection tendencies.