Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2021 May;53(3):431-450.
doi: 10.1111/evj.13320. Epub 2020 Sep 30.

Epigenetic control of exercise adaptations in the equine athlete: Current evidence and future directions

Joshua Denham  1 , Michael McCluskey  2 , Michele M Denham  3 , Maha Sellami  4 , Allan J Davie  5
Affiliations
Review

Epigenetic control of exercise adaptations in the equine athlete: Current evidence and future directions

Joshua Denham et al. Equine Vet J. 2021 May.

Abstract

Horses (Equus ferus caballus) have evolved over the past 300 years in response to man-made selection for particular athletic traits. Some of the selected traits were selected based on the size and horses' muscular power (eg Clydesdales), whereas other breeds were bred for peak running performance (eg Thoroughbred and Arabian). Although the physiological changes and some of the cellular adaptations responsible for athletic potential of horses have been identified, the molecular mechanisms are only just beginning to be comprehensively investigated. The purpose of this review was to outline and discuss the current understanding of the molecular mechanisms underpinning the athletic performance and cardiorespiratory fitness in athletic breeds of horses. A brief review of the biology of epigenetics is provided, including discussion on DNA methylation, histone modifications and small RNAs, followed by a summary and critical review of the current work on the exercise-induced epigenetic and transcriptional changes in horses. Important unanswered questions and currently unexplored areas that deserve attention are highlighted. Finally, a rationale for the analysis of epigenetic modifications in the context with exercise-related traits and ailments associated with athletic breeds of horses is outlined in order to help guide future research.

Keywords: Equus caballus; epigenetic modifications; gene; horse; racehorse; small RNAs.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Young LE, Marlin DJ, Deaton C, Brown-Feltner H, Roberts CA, Wood JL. Heart size estimated by echocardiography correlates with maximal oxygen uptake. Equine Vet J. 2002;34(Suppl 34):467-71.
    1. Lindstedt SL, Hokanson JF, Wells DJ, Swain SD, Hoppeler H, Navarro V. Running energetics in the pronghorn antelope. Nature. 1991;353:748-50.
    1. Banse HE, Sides RH, Ruby BC, Bayly WM. Effects of endurance training on VO 2max and submaximal blood lactate concentrations of untrained sled dogs. Equine Comp Exer Physiol. 2007;4:89-94.
    1. Young LE, Rogers K, Wood JL. Left ventricular size and systolic function in Thoroughbred racehorses and their relationships to race performance. J Appl Physiol. 2005;99:1278-85.
    1. Wade CM, Giulotto E, Sigurdsson S, Zoli M, Gnerre S, Imsland F, et al. Genome sequence, comparative analysis, and population genetics of the domestic horse. Science. 2009;326:865-7.

LinkOut - more resources