ArticleBMC genomics2025
RNA-seq analysis identifies key genes enhancing hoof strength to withstand barefoot racing in Standardbred trotters.
Article in BMC genomics, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Who cites it
2 citing papers in PubMed.
- Towards a Comprehensive Screening Approach for Detecting Gene Doping in Racehorses and Sport Horses by Targeting Common and Intrinsic Plasmid Sequences.Drug testing and analysis · 2026Article
- The impact of barefoot racing in young Swedish trotters on career length.Journal of animal science · 2026Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
8 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundRacing 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.
resultsThe 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.
conclusionOur 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.
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