The myostatin gene (MSTN) in cattle has a number of polymorphisms associated with increased muscle mass. The aim of the current study was to determine the haplotype frequencies of F94L and nt821(del11) MSTN polymorphisms among cattle bred for meat in Russia, using DNA analysis. Using the earlier created test systems based on the AS-PCR and PCR-RFLP methods, six populations of Aberdeen Angus (n = 684), two populations of Limousin (n = 54), one population of Simmental (n = 55), and one population of Belgian Blue (n = 137) belonging to Russian farms were genotyped on nt821(del11) and F94LMSTN polymorphisms. The animal carriers of the mutant allele of nt821(del11)MSTN associated with the double-muscling genetic defect were found in one Aberdeen Angus population at a frequency of 2.18%, but were not found in the Limousin and Simmental populations. However, 100% of the Belgian Blue population were heterozygous carriers of nt821(del11)MSTN. The frequencies of the A allele F94LMSTN desirable for productivity traits in the Limousin populations were the highest and accounted for 0.97 and 1 in populations one and two, while in the Aberdeen Angus, Simmental, and Belgian Blue populations, these figures were considerably lower at 0.04-0.08, depending on the population. The obtained data show the high genetic potential of Russian beef cattle, and facilitate an improvement in meat productivity by preserving the health of animals.
Keywords: Aberdeen Angus; Belgian Blue breed; F94L polymorphism; Limousin; Simmental; beef cattle; double-muscling; mutations; myostatin gene; nt821(del11).