A Mutation in the ____ Gene Results in Increased Muscle

Question

A mutation in the ____ gene results in increased muscle mass of whippet dogs.
A) BRCA1
B) CACNA1D
C) Down syndrome
D) BRCA2
E) myostatin

Accepted Answer

Myostatin is a protein that regulates muscle growth, and a mutation in the myostatin gene can result in decreased myostatin levels and thus increased muscle mass. This mutation has been identified in whippet dogs, resulting in a breed known as "bully whippets" with abnormally high muscle mass. The other choices (BRCA1, BRCA2, CACNA1D, and Down syndrome) are unrelated to muscle mass in dogs.