The 'Endurance Gene'

ScienceDaily (2011-08-09) -- Researchers have identified a gene for endurance, or more precisely, its negative regulator. Not having the gene relates to greater endurance in the knockout mice that were studied. The investigators also showed that the gene is linked to Olympic-level athletes in endurance sports such as swimming compared to athletes in sprint sports such as the 100-meter dash. The work has implications for improving muscle performance in disease states including metabolic disorders, obesity, and aging.

The mice who did not present the gene (since the gene is a negative regulator - inhibits actions when present) were able to run approximately 6 times the distance than mice expressing the gene.  The fast twitch muscle fibers in the mice lacking the gene showed an increased fiber count, more active transcription factors, more mitocondria, and more machinery to better process calcium (in a future post I will explain the role of calcium in muscle contraction).  These mice were made with the proper components to succeed, essentially created to be efficient at oxidative (aerobic) metabolism.

To read the full article, click here: 'Endurance gene' for Olympic-level athletes: Genetic basis for muscle endurance discovered in animal study