Cunningham, LilyZhou, HuitongFang, QianTapley, MarkHickford, Jonathan2022-07-222022-06-232022-072022-06-212076-26152V9DN (isidoc)35804514 (pubmed)https://hdl.handle.net/10182/15220Myostatin (MSTN), also known as growth differentiation factor 8 (GDF-8), is a negative regulator of lean muscle tissue growth. Variation in the gene has been studied in many domesticated species, because of its potential to dramatically increase muscle mass. It has, however, not been investigated in red deer (Cervus elaphus). In this study, variation in MSTN intron 1 was investigated in 211 male New Zealand red deer, for which phenotypic measurements of M. Longissimus dorsi (eye muscle) (width, depth, and area, together with 12-month weight) were recorded. Two sequence variants (named A and B) differing by one nucleotide (c.373 + 224) were identified in the intron 1 region of the gene resulting in three genotypes (AA, AB, and BB; frequencies of 63.5%, 30.8%, and 5.7%, respectively), but no association between this variation and any of the quantitative measurements was detected. These results suggest that the deer MSTN is less variable than for other livestock species and that its activity may be controlled to maintain a size–growth equilibrium.7 pagesElectronicen© 2022 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.carcassCervus elaphusgrowthMSTNNew ZealandJournal Article10.3390/ani121316152076-26152022-07-10ANZSRC::410407 Wildlife and habitat managementANZSRC::300307 Environmental studies in animal productionANZSRC::300305 Animal reproduction and breedingANZSRC::310599 Genetics not elsewhere classifiedANZSRC::310999 Zoology not elsewhere classifiedANZSRC::309999 Other agricultural, veterinary and food sciences not elsewhere classifiedANZSRC::3003 Animal productionANZSRC::3009 Veterinary sciencesANZSRC::3109 Zoologyhttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Attribution