The gene encoding myostatin (MSTN), due to its crucial function for growth of skeletal muscle mass, is an important candidate for muscularity. In this study we analyzed the nucleotide sequence and FISH localization of this gene in 4 canids, including 3 farm species. The nucleotide sequence of the MSTN coding fragment turned out to be highly conserved, since its identity among the studied species was very high and varied between 99.4 and 99.7%. Only 1, widely spread, silent single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) was found in exon 1 of the Chinese raccoon dog. The MSTN gene was localized close to the centromere in one-armed chromosomes of the dog (37q11) and bi-armed chromosomes of the red fox (16p11) and arctic fox (10q11), with an exception of the Chinese raccoon dog chromosome (2q14–q21). This chromosome is orthologous to 3 canine chromosomes and thus the MSTN was found more interstitially. Our results are in agreement with the hypothesis that karyotypes of the canids evolved mainly through centric fusion/fission events, while tandem fusions occurred rarely.

Keywords:
Canidae, FISH, MSTN, Phylogenetic tree, Polymorphism, SNP
1.
Boman IA, Klemetsdal G, Blichfeldt T, Nafstad O, Vage DI: A frameshift mutation in the coding region of the myostatin gene (MSTN) affects carcass conformation and fatness in Norwegian White Sheep (Ovis aries). Anim Gen 40:418–422 (2009).
2.
Breen M: Canine cytogenetics – from band to basepair. Cytogenet Genome Res 120:50–60 (2008).
3.
Breen M, Bullerdiek J, Langford CF: The DAPI banded karyotype of the domestic dog (Canis familiaris) generated using chromosome-specific paint probes. Chromosome Res 7:401–406 (1999).
4.
Caspersson T, Zech L, Johansson C, Modest EJ: Identification of human chromosomes by DNA binding fluorescent agents. Chromosoma 30:215–227 (1970).
5.
Charlier C, Segers K, Karim L, Shay T, Gyapay G, et al: The callipyge mutation enhances the expression of coregulated imprinted genes in cis without affecting their imprinting status. Nat Genet 27:367–369 (2001).
6.
Clop A, Marcq F, Takeda H, Pirottin D, Tordoir X, et al: A mutation creating a potential illegitimate microRNA target site in the myostatin gene affects muscularity in sheep. Nat Genet 38:813–818 (2006).
7.
Crisa A, Marchitelli C, Savarese MS, Valentini A: Sequence analysis of myostatin promoter in cattle. Cytogenet Genome Res 102:48–52 (2003).
8.
Dunner S, Miranda ME, Amigues Y, Cañón J, Georges M, et al: Haplotype diversity of the myostatin gene among beef cattle breeds. Genet Sel Evol 35:103–118 (2003).
9.
Graphodatsky AS, Yang F, O’Brien PCM, Perelman P, Milne BS, et al: Phylogenetic implications of the 38 putative ancestral chromosome segments for four canid species. Cytogenet Cell Genet 92:243–247 (2001).
10.
Graphodatsky AS, Perelman PL, Sokolovskaya NV, Beklemisheva VR, Serdukova NA, et al: Phylogenomics of the dog and fox family (Canidae, Carnivora) revealed by chromosome painting. Chromosome Res 16:129–143 (2008).
11.
Grobet L, Poncelet D, Royo LJ, Brouwers B, Pirottin D, et al: Molecular definition of an allelic series of mutations disrupting the myostatin function and causing double-muscling in cattle. Mamm Genome 9:210–213 (1998).
12.
Guimaraes SEF, Stahl CH, Lonergan SM, Geiger B, Rothschild MF: Myostatin promoter analysis and expression pattern in pigs. Livestock Science 112:143–150 (2007).
13.
Jank M, Zwierzchowski L, Siadkowska E, Budasz-Swiderska M, Sadkowski T, et al: Polymorphism in the 5′ flanking region of the myostatin gene affects myostatin and TGF-1 expression in bovine skeletal muscle. J Anim Feed Sci 15:381–391 (2006).
14.
Lindblad-Toh K, Wade CM, Mikkelsen TS, Karlsson EK, Jaffe DB, et al: Genome sequence, comparative analysis and haplotype structure of the domestic dog. Nature 438:803–819 (2005).
15.
Mäkinen A, Gustavsson I, Switonski M, Takagi N: The standard karyotype of the blue fox (Alopex lagopus L.). Hereditas 103:33–38 (1985a).
16.
Mäkinen A, Kuokkanen MT, Isakova GK, Takagi N, Gustavsson I: The standard karyotype of the silver fox (Vulpes fulvus Desm.). Hereditas 103:171–176 (1985b).
17.
Marchitelli C, Savarese MC, Crisà A, Nardone A, Marsan PA, Valentini A: Double muscling in Marchigiana beef breed is caused by a stop codon in the third exon of myostatin gene. Mamm Genome 14:392–395 (2003).
18.
McPherron AC, Lee SJ: Double muscling in cattle due to mutations in the myostatin gene. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 94:12457–12461 (1997).
19.
McPherron AC, Lawler AM, Lee SJ: Regulation of skeletal muscle mass in mice by a new TGF-beta superfamily member. Nature 387:83–90 (1997).
20.
Mosher DS, Quignon P, Bustamante CD, Sutter NB, Mellersh CS, et al: A mutation in the myostatin gene increases muscle mass and enhances racing performance in heterozygote dogs. PLoS Genet 3:e79 (2007).
21.
Nie W, Wang J, Perelman P, Graphodatsky AS, Yang F: Comparative chromosome painting defines the karyotypic relationships among the domestic dog, Chinese raccoon dog and Japanese raccoon dog. Chromosome Res 11:735–740 (2003).
22.
Pienkowska A, Szczerbal I, Mäkinen A, Switonski M: G/Q banded chromosome nomenclature of the Chinese raccoon dog Nyctereutes procyonoides procyonoides. Hereditas 137:75–78 (2002).
23.
Rodgers BD, Garikipati DK: Clinical, agricultural, and evolutionary biology of myostatin: a comparative review. Endocr Rev 29:513–534 (2008).
24.
Schuelke M, Wagner KR, Stolz LE, Hübner C, Riebel T, et al: Myostatin mutation associated with gross muscle hypertrophy in a child. N Engl J Med 350:2682–2688 (2004).
25.
Skorczyk A, Stachowiak M, Szczerbal I, Klukowska-Roetzler J, Schelling C, et al: Polymorphism and chromosomal location of the MC4R (melanocortin-4 receptor) gene in the dog and red fox. Gene 392:247–252 (2007).
26.
Sutter NB, Bustamante CD, Chase K, Gray MM, Zhao K, et al: A single IGF1 allele is a major determinant of small size in dogs. Science 316:112–115 (2007).
27.
Switonski M, Szczerbal I, Nowacka-Woszuk J: Comparative genomics of three farm canids in relation to the dog. Cytogenet Genome Res, this issue (2009).
28.
Szczerbal I, Rogalska-Niznik N, Klukowska J, Schelling C, Dolf G, Switonski M: Comparative chromosomal localization of the canine-derived BAC clones containing LEP and IGF1 genes in four species of the family Canidae. Cytogenet Genome Res 102:264–266 (2003).
29.
Wayne RK, Ostrander EA: Origin, genetic diversity, and genome structure of the domestic dog. Bioessays 21:247–257 (1999).
© 2009 S. Karger AG, Basel
2009
Copyright / Drug Dosage / Disclaimer
Copyright: All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be translated into other languages, reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, microcopying, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.
Drug Dosage: The authors and the publisher have exerted every effort to ensure that drug selection and dosage set forth in this text are in accord with current recommendations and practice at the time of publication. However, in view of ongoing research, changes in government regulations, and the constant flow of information relating to drug therapy and drug reactions, the reader is urged to check the package insert for each drug for any changes in indications and dosage and for added warnings and precautions. This is particularly important when the recommended agent is a new and/or infrequently employed drug.
Disclaimer: The statements, opinions and data contained in this publication are solely those of the individual authors and contributors and not of the publishers and the editor(s). The appearance of advertisements or/and product references in the publication is not a warranty, endorsement, or approval of the products or services advertised or of their effectiveness, quality or safety. The publisher and the editor(s) disclaim responsibility for any injury to persons or property resulting from any ideas, methods, instructions or products referred to in the content or advertisements.
You do not currently have access to this content.