Targeting Myostatin for Sustainable Meat Production: Insights From Multiple Species

Myostatin gene (MSTN), a TGF-β superfamily member, negatively regulates skeletal muscle growth, positioning it as a prime genetic target for enhancing livestock meat production. This review synthesizes evidence from 1979 to 2025 on MSTN mutations across cattle, pigs, poultry, sheep, goats, and rabbits, emphasising impacts on yield, quality, reproduction, and feed efficiency. Loss-of-function variants drive 20%-30% muscle mass increases in double-muscled phenotypes, boosting lean yield, carcass conformation, and dressing percentages while reducing fat (decreased by 50%). These changes improve growth rates and feed conversion ratios, and overall sustainability by lowering resource inputs and emissions, aligning with demands for low-fat and high-quality protein. Reproduction exhibits species-specific challenges, such as reduced fertility or dystocia, which are often manageable in heterozygotes through targeted breeding, while meat quality benefits from tender, lean profiles. From natural alleles to CRISPR/Cas9 knockouts in goats/pigs, MSTN manipulation enhances productivity without major welfare trade-offs. Multi-species insights underscore the value of heterozygous strategies for balanced gains by integrating genomic selection and editing tools to meet rising global meat needs efficiently, resiliently, and ethically.