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The sports industry has reached incredible heights over the last few decades,
leading to a push for stronger and faster athletes. However, when trying to breedchange word these superior athletes, one has to notice there are limitations on how
good someone can get just from practice. Of course, not just anyone can win seven
consecutive tour de Frances like Lance Armstrong, and not everybody can shoot the
ball like Michael Jordan. The fact that practice is not enough to succeed at a sport
means that something else has to contribute to one’s ability. Scientist’s research has
helped uncover this contributing factor- genetics. Humans have tens of thousands of
genes in their body, each coding for different proteins that act as the workers of the
human body-repeating “human and body”. In accordance with practice, having the
right genetics will determine the success of an athlete.
In order for muscles to contract they require a protein found in muscle cells
called actin. However, actin needs to be stabilized in order to function. A protein
called α-actinin 3 stabilizes actin so that it can work properly (Yang, et al., 2009).
Despite α-actinin-3’s seemingly critical role of stabilizing actin-repetitive, scientists
noted the lack of α-actinin-3 in more than one billion people worldwide (North,
2008). Eventually the reason for the proteins deficiency in the population was
uncovered. In the people who lack the protein there is a change in their genes,
causing a non functioning version of a-actinin-3 to be produced. Therefore, two
groups are created: a group that makes a-actinin-3 called the R allele group, and the
X allele group that creates a non-functioning protein . (Yang, et al., 2009). The
increasing prevalence of the X-allele (especially in European and Asian populations),
have lead some to question if having the non-functioning protein is beneficial to
athletics, and if so, why would this advantageous relationship exist (North, 2008).
Scientists have conducted much research identifying the effects of the R allele
group and X allele group since the identification of the two groups in 1999. The
research has been conducted in elite athletes because the influence of α-actinin-3 on
muscle function should be most noticeable in these subjects. Scientists have linked
the R allele group with elite sprint and power performance, while they have noted
that the X allele may be linked to endurance ( Enyon, et al., 2009). However, even
though other scientist’s research supports the link between the R allele and sprint
and power performance, much research conducted on these genes finds no link
between the X allele and endurance. Branching off from Enyon’s experiment,
scientists studied whether or not the R allele that is advantageous sprinters is also
advantageous to artistic gymnastic performance. As hypothesized, the authors noted
a higher degree of R allele gymnasts than X allele gymnasts (Massida, et al, 2009).
Two more experiments have associated the R allele to sprint and power
performance, but neither linked the X allele to endurance running. Scientists
recorded that a higher degree of professional soccer players had the R allele
compared to endurance athletes and controls; nevertheless, the experiment also
indicated extremely similar amount of endurance runners and controls with the X
allele ( Santiago, et al., 2009). This shows that the X allele may not be linked to
endurance running whatsoever. Finally, according to Saunders et al., (2007) there
was no link between the X allele and any “ultra-endurance performance”.
Using the research conducted by some of these scientists, a Colorado based
company, ATLAS Sports Genetics, plans to screen for either the X allele, which they
say is linked to endurance events, or the R allele, which they say is related to sprint
and power events and then tell parents what sport a child is predisposed to excel in
(Lite, 2008). However, experiments conducted over the past eight years show that
the X allele is not additive to endurance performance, and that the allele may not
even be linked to endurance events. The research on this topic is still relatively
new, but there is not enough evidence supporting these claims by ATLAS Genetics to
purchase these tests. The evidence recorded by scientists over the years may in fact
help parents determine which sport their child would be best in, but it cannot
ensure how good a child can be at that sport.
References
Enyon, N., Duarte, J.A., Oliveira, J., Sagiv, M., Yamin, C., Meckel, Y., … Goldhammer, E.
(2009). ACTN3 R577X polymorphism and Israeli top-level athletes. Int J
Sports Med, 30, 695-8.
Lite, J. (2008) Can genes predict athletic performance? Scientific American.
Retrieved from http://ScientificAmerican.com/aritcle.cfm?id=genes-sportstalent
Massidda, M., Vona, G., & Calo, C.M. (2009). Association between the ACTN3 R577X
polymorphism and artistic gymnastic performance in Italy. Genet Test Mol
Biomarkers, 13, 377-80.
Yang, N., Garton, F., & North, K. (2009). Alpha-Actinin-3 and Performance. Med Sport
Sci., 54, 88-801.
Norman, B., Esbjornsson, M., Rundqvist, H., Osterlund, T., von Walden, F., & Tesch, P.
(2009). Strength, power, fiber types, and mRNA expression in trained men
and women with different ACTN3 R577X genotypes. J Appl Physiol, 106, 959965.
North, Kathryn. ( 2008) Why is alpha-actinin-3 deficiency so common in the general
population? The evolution of athletic performance. Twin Res Human Genet,
11. 384-94.
MacArthur, D., & North, K. (2007). ACtN3: A Genetic Influence on Muscle Function
and Athletic Performance. Sport Sci. Rev, 1, 30-34.
Santiago, C., Gonzalez-Freire, M., Serratosa, L., Morate, F., Meyer, T. , Gomez-Gallego,
F., Lucia, A. (2008). ACTN3 genotype in professional soccer players. Br J
Sports Med, 42,71-3.
Saunders, C., September, A., Xenophontos, S., Cariolou, M., Anastassiades, L., Noakes,
T., Collins, M. (2007). No Association of the ACTN3 gene R577X
polymorphism with endurance performance in Ironman Triathlons. Ann
Hum Genet, 71, 777-81.
Moran, C., Yang, N., Bailey, M., Tsokanos, A., Jamurtas, A.,MacArthur, D.,
…Pitsiladis,Y., Wilson, R. (2007). Association analysis of the ACTN3 R577X
polymorphism and complex quantitative body composition and performance
phenotypes in adolescent Greeks. European Journal of Human Genetics, 15,
88-93.
Lite, J. (2008) Can genes predict athletic performance? Scientific American.
Retrieved from http://ScientificAmerican.com/aritcle.cfm?id=genes-sportstalent