Harnessing myostatin pleiotropy for multitrait improvement via precision gene editing

TL;DR

This review explores the broader effects of myostatin gene editing in livestock, highlighting both benefits and health trade-offs across multiple traits.

Contribution

The paper systematically evaluates MSTN gene editing's pleiotropic effects and proposes multitrait balancing strategies for sustainable livestock breeding.

Findings

MSTN gene editing affects growth, carcass, and meat quality across various livestock species.

Editing MSTN influences metabolic and reproductive health, with species-specific trade-offs.

Responsible MSTN editing requires multitrait strategies to balance productivity and animal welfare.

Abstract

The pursuit of sustainable livestock farming to meet the rising global protein demand has positioned myostatin (MSTN) gene editing as a key technology. However, the field’s focus on the remarkable double-muscle phenotype has often overshadowed a systematic examination of its concomitant effects. The present review aims to bridge this gap by moving beyond a singular focus on productivity. First, the pleiotropic effects of MSTN gene editing on growth performance, carcass quality, and meat quality in cattle, swine, sheep, poultry, and aquatic species were comprehensively evaluated. Next, the cascading biological effects of MSTN editing on metabolic homeostasis, reproductive performance, and animal health and welfare werAAe analyzed in depth. Finally, the inherent limitations and ethical issues of current editing techniques were critically discussed, and future sustainable breeding programs aimed at balanced multitrait regulation were prospectively proposed. Ultimately, this review affirms that MSTN editing has a multiplicative effect on trait alterations; however, there is also a series of associated health challenges, which demonstrates that the technology’s impact is systemic, generating a spectrum of trade-offs that are often species specific. Its responsible application therefore hinges on multitrait balancing strategies to simultaneously secure productivity and sustainability in animal agriculture.

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