Anuario Raza Polo Argentino Anuario2018 | Page 239

The Polo Pony and its Relationship
with the “Speed Gene”
Dr. Mario Novillo Corvalán
and the laboratory of Applied Genetics
of the Argentine Rural Association
Myostatin is a protein found in the cells of
the skeletal muscle which regulates muscular
development. To a lesser content of myostatin,
corresponds larger muscle mass.
This effect may be observed in the hyper-muscled
cows of the Belgian Blue Breed (photo), which due
to genetic mutation, do not possess this protein. So why is the gene that produces this protein
known as the Speed Gene?
The answer was found in a study on Whippet
Greyhounds (photo), which showed that the
fastest animals presented greater muscle structure,
and therefore less myostatin content. Thus, the
association between this gene and speed became
apparent for the first time.
Hyper-muscled Belgian Blue Breed Hyper-muscled Whippet Breed
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