Characterization of Partial Sequence of Myostatin Gene Exon 2 along with SNP detection in Indian Horse Breeds (Equus caballus)

Abstract

India has well documented horse and pony breeds; however, the population is well diversified in different geographical regions. The Myostatin gene is one of the most profoundly studied genetic components for the detection of SNP's for the performance analysis in horses. In the present study, the MSTN exon 2 partial cds were amplified, sequenced and characterized in about 60 samples of eight different breeds of Indian horses. The results indicated the transition of Thymine to Cytosine (T>C) as single nucleotide polymorphisms in the partial sequence of exon 2 of the MSTN gene at two different codon positions (T12C, T13C) on chromosome 18. The haplotypes and phylogeny of the MSTN gene in the selected horse population were also analyzed. The overall and singleton haplotype are two different entities, indicating the variation among breeds is unique while the gene is equally distributed throughout the population. The phylogeny suggests that all the breeds are somehow equally distributed in their specific geographical tracts. It is the first study of MSTN gene variations in Indian horse breeds, which provides insight into predicting athletic performance as well as phylogeny. This study provides useful genetic information on Indian horses that can be used to model the racing performances of the breeds.

Keywords: Exon; Haplotype; Horse; MSTN; Phylogeny; SNP.