The sprinting Gene ACTN3

Internationally competitive sports demand a lot from an athlete. From mental health, environmental conditions, anatomical structure, physiological capabilities to as small as genes. Sprinters are born not made. I am sure you have heard this term if you have come across an athlete. You will surely have a question in your mind How black ethnic people runs so fast?

 It is true to some extent because of the ACTN3 (Alpha Actinin 3). ACTN3 is also known as the sprinting Gene. The researches are still scarce for this topic, but I will try to provide you the maximum which is present out there.

                                                         Credits- England athletics

In many reports, it is said that ACTN3 contributes around 2-3% in sprinting activities. Statistically, it doesn’t seem too much but at international levels where every stride counts 2-3% is what you need to grab the gold.

 In this article, we will know about the most amazing discovery in the field of athletics-related to genes. Don’t worry I will explain it here in the simplest way to you. ACTN3 is responsible for the encoding of a protein called alpha-actinin-3, in simpler terms the gene tells the body to produce this protein. This protein functions as a structural component in Z-line and is involved in the crosslinking of actin protein. One thing to keep in mind is that this gene is only present in Type II (fast-twitch) muscle fibers, those that produce greater force and contracts quickly as compared to slow-twitch muscle fibers or type II.

So there are three forms of this gene

RR     RX     XX

Credit- Unlocking Life's Code

The R means that there is more than one type of chromosome present in the cell. The X represents that chain of chromosomes which inhibits the synthesis of protein. You must be cleared that one chromosome came from your mother and other from your father.

                               

 It all started in the 1990’s when Dr. Kathryn North a renowned pediatrician and clinical geneticist was working on genetic links to the muscle atrophies. Then she and her team found that ACTN3 was a potential gene in muscular atrophies but when they continued their study they found that 1 in every five in general the population is deficient in α actinin3 protein. From there they change the direction of their research from muscular disease to human muscle performance.

In the proceedings of 14^th International Conference of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) a study was published by the T. Silver, et.al, they found no significant the difference in the increase in body weight, lean body mass and fat mass or percentage body fat and there was no significant difference found in the 1 RM bench press in the study groups.

 

However, the another aspect is XX gene is racist. Yes, the XX genotypes (not suitable for sprinting) is present in approximately 25% of Asians, 18% of Caucasians, 11% of Ethiopians, 3% of Jamaicans, and US African Americans and only 1% of Kenyans and Nigerians. This could be the reason why athletes from black ethnic groups are achieving more in sprinting and long-distance track events.  They have dominated the sports from all corners. Not only in the male category but also in the female category almost all the records in long-distance and short-distance running are with black African natives.

Source- World Athletics

 

This doesn’t mean that this sprinting gene or alpha actinin3 is the only reason for the success of sprinters. In an interview published on The University of Sydney Youtube channel Dr. Kathryn North said:

 “There are hundreds of genes that influences athletic performances. I think the alpha-actinin three and how it is expressed could influence your choice either you want to specialize in sprinting or endurance track events for example. But, really the athlete is the whole package. It is a combination of environment, genetics, and mental attitude……. A single gene does not make a difference.”

                               

                                                      Credits- World Athletics

One of the reasons which make running different from other sports is that it needs only lace-up to start running and these countries have also spent on the equipment and the technology that has produced athletes like Usain Bolt and Yohan Blake. All these are developing countries where you don’t get such support from the starting of your career and not everyone can afford it. So, in villages, they are generally left with the athletics only. But, having a gene is not the only thing a person needs to be an Olympian. It still needs years and years of discipline and hard work.

For my blogs related to Physical education, you can visit the Physical education world

 

 

REFERENCES

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphys.2017.01080/full

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5741991/

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0002929707620242

https://nsuworks.nova.edu/cps_facpresentations/3618/

https://blog.athletigen.com/evolution-actn3-discovery-sprint-gene#:~:text=Kathryn%20North%2C%20pediatric%20physician%20and,actinin%2D3%20(ACTN3).

https://www.genecards.org/cgi-bin/carddisp.pl?gene=ACTN3#:~:text=ACTN3%20Gene%20(Protein%20Coding)&text=This%20gene%20encodes%20a%20member,crosslinking%20actin%20containing%20thin%20filaments.