What is the myostatin gene?

The myostatin gene codes for a protein called myostatin, which functions to inhibit muscle growth. This gene and its protein product are crucial because, ancestrally, muscle tissue was metabolically expensive to maintain, especially in environments where high-protein food sources were not readily available. The regulation by myostatin prevented excessive muscle growth, which could have been detrimental in terms of energy efficiency and survival.

The significance of myostatin and its inhibition is also observed in certain animals that have been selectively bred to lack functional myostatin, resulting in dramatically increased muscle mass. For instance, the Belgian Blue cattle and certain dog breeds exhibit noticeable hypermuscularity due to myostatin deficiencies. This characteristic has sparked interest in potential applications for gene doping in athletics, where myostatin inhibitors could theoretically enhance muscle growth and athletic performance beyond natural capacities 1.