# US 8,771,943 B2 · Method for predicting athletic performance potential > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,771,943 B2 - Document ID: US8771943B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/063,715 - Filed: 2009-09-11 - Published: 2011-09-15 - Granted: 2014-07-08 - Earliest claimed: 2008-09-11 - Assignees: University College Dublin, National University of Ireland, Dublin - Applicants: Emmeline Hill; David MacHugh; Nick Orr; JingJing Gu; Lisa Katz - Inventors: Emmeline Hill; David MacHugh; Nick Orr; JingJing Gu; Lisa Katz - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8771943B2 ## CPC - C12Q 1/6876: Nucleic acid products used in the analysis of nucleic acids, e.g. primers or probes - C12Q 2600/124: Animal traits, i.e. production traits, including athletic performance or the like - C12Q 2600/156: Polymorphic or mutational markers - C12Q: MEASURING OR TESTING PROCESSES INVOLVING ENZYMES, NUCLEIC ACIDS OR MICROORGANISMS (immunoassay G01N33/53); COMPOSITIONS OR TEST PAPERS THEREFOR; PROCESSES OF PREPARING SUCH COMPOSITIONS; CONDITION-RESPONSIVE CONTROL IN MICROBIOLOGICAL OR ENZYMOLOGICAL PROCESSES ## Abstract A method and assay for predicting athletic performance potential of a subject, such as a thoroughbred race horse, comprising the steps of assaying a biological sample from a subject for the presence of a single nucleotide polymorphism in one or more genes associated with athletic performance. The athletic performance genes may be selected from one or more of MSTN, COX4I2, PDK4, CKM and COX4I1. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of training a Thoroughbred race horse for optimal racing distance, the method comprising the steps of: a) identifying a Thoroughbred race horse that is or may become sufficiently developed for race training, b) obtaining a biological sample from the horse, c) performing a genotypic analysis of a MSTN-66493737 (T/C) SNP in the biological sample from the horse; and d) training the horse based on results of the test, wherein: i) a horse with a C/C genotype in the MSTN-66493737 (T/C) SNP is trained to race as a sprinter, ii) a horse with a C/T genotype in the MSTN-66493737 (T/C) SNP is trained to race over middle distances, or iii) a horse with a T/T genotype in the MSTN-66493737 (T/C) SNP is trained to race as a stayer. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the horse has a C/C genotype in the MSTN-66493737 (T/C) SNP and is trained to race as a sprinter. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the horse has a C/T genotype in the MSTN-66493737 (T/C) SNP and is trained to race over middle distances. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the horse has a T/T genotype in the MSTN-66493737 (T/C) SNP and is trained to race as a stayer. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2, 3) The method of claim 2 or 3, wherein the horse is a two-year old. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein the horse is a three-year old. ### Claim 7 A method of breeding a Thoroughbred race horse with elite athletic performance potential, comprising the steps of: a) obtaining the result of a genotypic analysis of a MSTN-66493737 (T/C) SNP in a biological sample from a Thoroughbred broodmare; b) obtaining the result of a genotypic analysis of a MSTN-66493737 (T/C) SNP in a biological sample from a Thoroughbred stallion; and c) mating the broodmare with the stallion to produce a Thoroughbred offspring; wherein: i) the broodmare and the stallion each have a homozygous C/C genotype in the MSTN-66493737 (T/C) SNP and the offspring has elite sprinting performance potential, ii) the broodmare and the stallion each have a homozygous T/T genotype in the MSTN-66493737 (T/C) SNP and the offspring has stamina performance potential, iii) one of the broodmare or stallion has a homozygous T/T genotype in the MSTN-66493737 (T/C) SNP and the other horse in the mating pair has a homozygous C/C genotype in the MSTN-66493737 (T/C) SNP and the offspring has middle distance racing performance potential, iv) one of the broodmare or stallion has a homozygous C/C genotype in the MSTN-66493737 (T/C) SNP and the other horse in the mating pair has a heterozygous C/T genotype in the MSTN-66493737 (T/C) SNP and the offspring has either elite sprinting performance potential or middle distance racing performance potential, v) one of the broodmare or stallion has a homozygous T/T genotype in the MSTN-66493737 (T/C) SNP and the other horse in the mating pair has a heterozygous C/T genotype in the MSTN-66493737 (T/C) SNP and the offspring has either middle distance racing performance potential or stamina performance potential, or vi) the broodmare and the stallion each have a heterozygous C/T genotype in the MSTN-66493737 (T/C) SNP and the offspring has elite sprinting performance potential, middle distance racing performance potential, or stamina performance potential. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the broodmare and the stallion each have a homozygous C/C genotype in the MSTN-66493737 (T/C) SNP and the offspring has elite sprinting performance potential. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the broodmare and the stallion each have a homozygous T/T genotype in the MSTN-66493737 (T/C) SNP and the offspring has stamina performance potential. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein one of the broodmare or stallion has a homozygous T/T genotype in the MSTN-66493737 (T/C) SNP and the other horse in the mating pair has a homozygous C/C genotype in the MSTN-66493737 (T/C) SNP and the offspring has middle distance racing performance potential. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein one of the broodmare or stallion has a homozygous C/C genotype in the MSTN-66493737 (T/C) SNP and other horse in the mating pair has a heterozygous C/T genotype in the MSTN-66493737 (T/C) SNP and the offspring has either elite sprinting performance potential or middle distance racing performance potential. ### Claim 12 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein one of the broodmare or stallion has a homozygous T/T genotype in the MSTN-66493737 (T/C) SNP and the other horse in the mating pair has a heterozygous C/T genotype in the MSTN-66493737 T/C) SNP and the offspring has either middle distance racing performance potential or stamina performance potential. ### Claim 13 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the broodmare and the stallion each have a heterozygous C/T genotype in the MSTN-66493737 (T/C) SNP and the offspring has elite sprinting performance potential, middle distance racing performance potential, or stamina performance potential. ### Claim 14 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of obtaining the genotype of a MSTN-66493737 (T/C) SNP in a biological sample from a foal produced by the mating. ### Claim 15 A method for detecting the MSTN—66493737 (T/C) single nucleotide polymorphism in an MSTN gene in a horse, comprising: performing a nucleic acid-based assay to analyze a nucleic acid from a biological sample obtained from the horse, and detecting in the assay the C allele of the MSTN—66493737 (T/C) single nucleotide polymorphism. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein performing a nucleic acid-based assay comprises sequencing the nucleic acid. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein performing a nucleic acid-based assay comprises amplifying the nucleic acid. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the amplifying comprises competitive allele specific PCR. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the assay is a TaqMan® single nucleotide polymorphism genotyping assay. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein performing a nucleic acid-based assay comprises hybridizing a probe to the nucleic acid. ### Claim 21 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the biological sample is a biological sample which contains genetic material. ### Claim 22 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the sample is selected from the group comprising: blood, saliva, skeletal muscle, hair, semen, bone marrow, soft tissue, internal organ, biopsy sample, and skin. ### Claim 23 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the nucleic acid is genomic DNA. ### Claim 24 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, further comprising extracting or releasing DNA from the sample. ### Claim 25 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the horse is a Thoroughbred race horse.