Myostatin maps to the interval containing the bovine mh locus

Myostatin (GDF-8) is a member of the transforming growth factor-beta superfamily and plays a role in muscle growth and development. Mice having targeted disruption of this gene display marked increases in muscle mass, a phenotype similar to the muscular hypertrophy (mh) in several cattle breeds. Physical mapping data developed from YAC clones indicate the bovine myostatin gene lies close to the centromere of bovine Chromosome (Chr) 2 (BTA2) at 2q11, indistinguishable from the cytogenetic location of the mh locus. In addition, a polymorphism in the second intron of the gene was used to show that myostatin maps within the interval previously shown to contain mh. These data suggest myostatin may be the gene causing muscular hypertrophy in cattle.