Posted on 01/28/2012 7:50:57 AM PST by SunkenCiv
Scientists have traced the origin of the 'speed gene' in Thoroughbred racehorses back to a single British mare that lived in the United Kingdom around 300 years ago, according to findings published today in the scientific journal Nature Communications.
The origin of the 'speed gene' (C type myostatin gene variant) was revealed by analysing DNA from hundreds of horses, including DNA extracted from the skeletal remains of 12 celebrated Thoroughbred stallions born between 1764 and 1930.
"Changes in racing since the foundation of the Thoroughbred have shaped the distribution of 'speed gene' types over time and in different racing regions," explained Dr Emmeline Hill, the senior author of the study, and a genomics scientist at the School of Agriculture and Food Science, University College Dublin.
"But we have been able to identify that the original 'speed gene' variant entered the Thoroughbred from a single founder, which was most likely a British mare about 300 years ago, when local British horse types were the preeminent racing horses, prior to the formal foundation of the Thoroughbred racehorse."
The international scientific team led by scientists from University College Dublin (UCD), Equinome Ltd and the University of Cambridge, have traced all modern variants of the original 'speed gene' to the legendary Nearctic (1954-1973), and attribute the wider expansion of these variants to Northern Dancer (1961-1990),the son of Nearctic, and one of the most influential stallions of modern times.
(Excerpt) Read more at sciencedaily.com ...
Journal Reference: 1. Mim A. Bower, Beatrice A. McGivney, Michael G. Campana, Jingjing Gu, Lisa S. Andersson, Elizabeth Barrett, Catherine R. Davis, Sofia Mikko, Frauke Stock, Valery Voronkova, Daniel G. Bradley, Alan G. Fahey, Gabriella Lindgren, David E. MacHugh, Galina Sulimova, Emmeline W. Hill. The genetic origin and history of speed in the Thoroughbred racehorse. Nature Communications, 2012; 3: 643 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms1644
Breed the best with the best and hope for the best.
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| GGG managers are SunkenCiv, StayAt HomeMother & Ernest_at_the_Beach | |
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Seems like a good moment to trot this one out. |
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Byerley Turk
Godolphin Arabian
Darley Arabian
Those hot bloods bred into the English warm bloods is where it came from.
All horse people know that.
:)
Anybody who has ever read the story of the plucky Godolphin Arabian and his mute trainer knows that’s where it came from.
Yep.
but but but ALLL mutations are BADDDD!
Jimmy the Greek is spinning in his grave.
He didn’t beat the spread.
[singing] Shaft!
[refrain] shut you mouf!
125th anniversary of the worlds largest snowflake.
Compare to the graphics for 4th of July, Memorial Day, Veteran's day, etc.
Company motto: “Don't Be Evil.”
Riiiiiiiiiiiiiight!
I hate Google; I use Bing.
Two Akhal-teke stallions were among the three founding studs of the Thoroughbred breed. The Stavropol Stud in Russia breeds Akhal-teke horses, the famous Golden Argamacks of ancient lore.
The following pictures of Gench, a highly valued sire of Akhal-tekes, strongly resembles early Thoroughbred race horses like the one in that painting. Take a look:
http://www.stavropol-teke.ru/en/gallery/Gench/
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