title: Molecular cloning and characterization of a human PAX-7 cDNA expressed in normal and neoplastic myocytes.
abstract: The myogenic basic helix-loop-helix proteins are essential components of the regulatory network controlling vertebrate myogenesis. However, determined myoblasts appear in the limb buds which do not initially express any member of this transcription factor family. In a search for potential novel regulators of myogenesis, a human PAX-7 cDNA was isolated from primary myoblasts. Analysis of the DNA-binding properties of the Pax-7 paired domain revealed that it binds DNA in a sequence-specific manner indistinguishable from that of the paralogous Pax-3 protein. Each of the two proteins also binds to palindromic homeodomain-binding sites by cooperative dimerization. Both Pax-3 and Pax-7, which are known to partially overlap in their expression during development, can also efficiently form heterodimers on these sites and stimulate reporter gene transcription in transient transfection experiments which, in the case of Pax-7, is dependent on the transactivation function encoded by the C-terminal sequences. Thus, the formation of heterodimers might have important consequences for target gene recognition and regulation during development. PAX-7 was found to be weakly expressed in normal human myoblasts, while PAX-3 could not be detected in these cells at all. However, transcripts for either PAX-3 and/or PAX-7 were expressed at elevated levels in tumorigenic rhabdomyosarcoma cell lines. Hence, overexpression of these PAX genes may be involved in the genesis of myogenic tumors.
authors.affiliation: University of Zürich, Department of Pediatrics, Switzerland.
authors.forename: B W
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Schäfer
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Czerny
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bernasconi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Genini
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Busslinger
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001483:Base Sequence; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000235:genetics*; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009124:Muscle Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D009206:Myocardium / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000166:cytology; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D000072041:PAX3 Transcription Factor; D051763:PAX7 Transcription Factor; D051761:Paired Box Transcription Factors; D012313:RNA / Q000032:analysis; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis; D012208:Rhabdomyosarcoma / Q000235:genetics; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014157:Transcription Factors; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D018076:DNA, Complementary; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D009124:Muscle Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D000072041:PAX3 Transcription Factor; C489409:PAX3 protein, human; D051763:PAX7 Transcription Factor; C497321:PAX7 protein, human; D051761:Paired Box Transcription Factors; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm; D015534:Trans-Activators; D014157:Transcription Factors; C068686:Pax3 protein, mouse; D012313:RNA