RNA-seq analysis identifies key genes enhancing hoof strength to withstand barefoot racing in Standardbred trotters
Abstract Background Racing without protective shoes is common in the Swedish harness racing industry, as it can enhance horses’ performance on the track. Trainers typically decide whether a horse will race barefoot based on practical experience rather than objective measures. However, this practice...
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| Language: | English |
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BMC
2025-08-01
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| Series: | BMC Genomics |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12864-025-11814-4 |
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| author | Doreen Schwochow Asmaa Alameddine Ellinor Spörndly-Nees Mathilde Montigny Rakan Naboulsi Anna Jansson Adnan Niazi Gabriella Lindgren |
| author_facet | Doreen Schwochow Asmaa Alameddine Ellinor Spörndly-Nees Mathilde Montigny Rakan Naboulsi Anna Jansson Adnan Niazi Gabriella Lindgren |
| author_sort | Doreen Schwochow |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Racing without protective shoes is common in the Swedish harness racing industry, as it can enhance horses’ performance on the track. Trainers typically decide whether a horse will race barefoot based on practical experience rather than objective measures. However, this practice can sometimes lead to excessive hoof wear, posing potential welfare concerns for racing horses. Gene expression differences may help reveal the underlying genetic mechanisms associated with different phenotypic traits. To explore an objective measure for assessing which horses are best suited for barefoot racing, we conducted a polyA-selected RNA-seq experiment on tissue from the growth zone at the coronary band of the hoof. This experiment compared tissues from Standardbred trotters capable of repeatedly racing barefoot without injury (n = 11) to those that could not (n = 7). By combining stringent phenotyping with racing records and trainer interviews, we aimed to elucidate the biological factors related to hoof strength in barefoot racing, focusing on differential abundant genes. Results The RNA-seq analysis identified five significantly downregulated genes in horses capable of competing barefoot across consecutive races. These genes are associated with various biological processes relevant for hoof strength: ACCS, IRX2 and TRAPPAC6A contribute to enhancing the structural integrity of the hoof; MT2A regulates its metal homeostasis and SLC35F3 likely influences local vasoconstriction in the hoof. These gene findings suggest a coordinated genetic basis for structural reinforcement and physiological support of the hoof, which may be critical for sustaining performance under barefoot conditions. Conclusion Our findings suggest that the ability of Standardbred trotters to race barefoot in consecutive events is reflected in distinct gene expression patterns, underscoring a genetic basis for hoof strength. This supports further genome-wide scans aimed at identifying genetic markers for hoof durability in these horses. The focused design of our study– comparing horses that could consistently race barefoot with those that could not– enabled us to isolate a select group of genes involved in diverse aspects of hoof biology essential for quality and resilience of horse hooves. This insight could ultimately be applied to augment both the performance and wellbeing of equine athletes across disciplines. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-38e6c6f9c9974154a3dd0fb5cc021532 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1471-2164 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-08-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Genomics |
| spelling | doaj-art-38e6c6f9c9974154a3dd0fb5cc0215322025-08-24T11:09:38ZengBMCBMC Genomics1471-21642025-08-0126111210.1186/s12864-025-11814-4RNA-seq analysis identifies key genes enhancing hoof strength to withstand barefoot racing in Standardbred trottersDoreen Schwochow0Asmaa Alameddine1Ellinor Spörndly-Nees2Mathilde Montigny3Rakan Naboulsi4Anna Jansson5Adnan Niazi6Gabriella Lindgren7Department of Animal Biosciences, Swedish University of Agricultural SciencesDepartment of Animal Biosciences, Swedish University of Agricultural SciencesDepartment of Pathology and Wildlife Diseases, Swedish Veterinary AgencyDepartment of Animal Biosciences, Swedish University of Agricultural SciencesDepartment of Animal Biosciences, Swedish University of Agricultural SciencesDepartment of Animal Biosciences, Swedish University of Agricultural SciencesDepartment of Animal Biosciences, Swedish University of Agricultural SciencesDepartment of Animal Biosciences, Swedish University of Agricultural SciencesAbstract Background Racing without protective shoes is common in the Swedish harness racing industry, as it can enhance horses’ performance on the track. Trainers typically decide whether a horse will race barefoot based on practical experience rather than objective measures. However, this practice can sometimes lead to excessive hoof wear, posing potential welfare concerns for racing horses. Gene expression differences may help reveal the underlying genetic mechanisms associated with different phenotypic traits. To explore an objective measure for assessing which horses are best suited for barefoot racing, we conducted a polyA-selected RNA-seq experiment on tissue from the growth zone at the coronary band of the hoof. This experiment compared tissues from Standardbred trotters capable of repeatedly racing barefoot without injury (n = 11) to those that could not (n = 7). By combining stringent phenotyping with racing records and trainer interviews, we aimed to elucidate the biological factors related to hoof strength in barefoot racing, focusing on differential abundant genes. Results The RNA-seq analysis identified five significantly downregulated genes in horses capable of competing barefoot across consecutive races. These genes are associated with various biological processes relevant for hoof strength: ACCS, IRX2 and TRAPPAC6A contribute to enhancing the structural integrity of the hoof; MT2A regulates its metal homeostasis and SLC35F3 likely influences local vasoconstriction in the hoof. These gene findings suggest a coordinated genetic basis for structural reinforcement and physiological support of the hoof, which may be critical for sustaining performance under barefoot conditions. Conclusion Our findings suggest that the ability of Standardbred trotters to race barefoot in consecutive events is reflected in distinct gene expression patterns, underscoring a genetic basis for hoof strength. This supports further genome-wide scans aimed at identifying genetic markers for hoof durability in these horses. The focused design of our study– comparing horses that could consistently race barefoot with those that could not– enabled us to isolate a select group of genes involved in diverse aspects of hoof biology essential for quality and resilience of horse hooves. This insight could ultimately be applied to augment both the performance and wellbeing of equine athletes across disciplines.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12864-025-11814-4HorseHoof strengthBarefoot racingRNA-seqVasoconstrictionMetal homeostasis |
| spellingShingle | Doreen Schwochow Asmaa Alameddine Ellinor Spörndly-Nees Mathilde Montigny Rakan Naboulsi Anna Jansson Adnan Niazi Gabriella Lindgren RNA-seq analysis identifies key genes enhancing hoof strength to withstand barefoot racing in Standardbred trotters BMC Genomics Horse Hoof strength Barefoot racing RNA-seq Vasoconstriction Metal homeostasis |
| title | RNA-seq analysis identifies key genes enhancing hoof strength to withstand barefoot racing in Standardbred trotters |
| title_full | RNA-seq analysis identifies key genes enhancing hoof strength to withstand barefoot racing in Standardbred trotters |
| title_fullStr | RNA-seq analysis identifies key genes enhancing hoof strength to withstand barefoot racing in Standardbred trotters |
| title_full_unstemmed | RNA-seq analysis identifies key genes enhancing hoof strength to withstand barefoot racing in Standardbred trotters |
| title_short | RNA-seq analysis identifies key genes enhancing hoof strength to withstand barefoot racing in Standardbred trotters |
| title_sort | rna seq analysis identifies key genes enhancing hoof strength to withstand barefoot racing in standardbred trotters |
| topic | Horse Hoof strength Barefoot racing RNA-seq Vasoconstriction Metal homeostasis |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12864-025-11814-4 |
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