Myostatin - Discovery and Sequencing

Discovery and Sequencing

The gene encoding myostatin was discovered in 1997 by geneticists Alexandra McPherron and Se-Jin Lee who also produced a strain of mutant mice that lack the gene. These myostatin "knockout" mice have approximately twice as much muscle as normal mice. These mice were subsequently named "mighty mice".

Naturally occurring myostatin "nulls" have been identified in cattle, whippets, and humans; in each case the result is a dramatic increase in muscle mass. A mutation in the 3' UTR of the myostatin gene in Texel sheep creates target sites for the microRNAs miR-1 and miR-206. This is likely to cause the muscular phenotype of this breed of sheep.

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