Long-read sequencing assays designed to detect potential gene editing events in the myostatin gene revealed distinct haplotype signatures in the Thoroughbred horse population.

We present here the use of targeted, long-read sequencing of the myostatin (MSTN) gene as a model to detect potential gene editing events in Thoroughbred horses. MSTN is a negative regulator of muscle development, making the gene a prime candidate target for gene doping. By sequencing the complete gene in one PCR product, we can catalogue all mutations without the need to produce short-fragment libraries. A panel of reference material fragments with defined mutations was constructed and successfully sequenced by both Oxford Nanopore and Illumina-based methods, showing that gene doping editing events can be detected using this technology. To ascertain the normal variation within the population, we sequenced the MSTN gene in 119 UK Thoroughbred horses. Variants from the reference genome were assigned to haplotypes and eight distinct patterns, designated Hap1 (reference genome) to Hap8, were determined with haplotypes Hap2 and Hap3 (which includes the 'speed gene' variant) being far the most prevalent. Hap3 was most abundant in flat-racing horses, whereas Hap2 was most abundant in jump-racing. Within this data set, results for 105 racehorses from out-of-competition sampling were compared between matrices of extracted DNA and direct PCR of whole blood from lithium heparin gel tubes, and strong agreement was found between the two methods. The direct-blood PCR was achieved without compromising the sample prior to plasma separation for analytical chemistry, and could thus be used as part of a routine screening workflow for gene editing detection.