title: MEF2C, a MADS/MEF2-family transcription factor expressed in a laminar distribution in cerebral cortex.
abstract: We have cloned cDNA encoding a human transcription factor that belongs to the MEF2 (myocyte-specific enhancer-binding factor 2) subfamily of the MADS (MCM1-agamous-deficiens-serum response factor) gene family. This factor, which we have named MEF2C, binds specifically to the MEF2 element and activates transcription via this element. Specific isoforms of this factor are found exclusively in brain and are robustly expressed by neurons in cerebral cortex. In situ hybridization indicates that the factor is expressed preferentially in certain neuronal layers of cortex and that expression declines during postnatal development. The unusual pattern of expression in brain suggests that this transcription factor may be important in the development of cortical architecture.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Children's Hospital, Boston, MA.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Leifer
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Krainc
authors.forename: Y T
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: McDermott
authors.forename: R E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Breitbart
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Heng
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Neve
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kosofsky
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Nadal-Ginard
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Lipton
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000502:physiology*; D015500:Chloramphenicol O-Acetyltransferase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D005333:Fetus; D015723:Gene Library; D005822:Genetic Vectors; D006801:Humans; D026161:MADS Domain Proteins; D064326:MEF2 Transcription Factors; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D005810:Multigene Family; D018006:Myogenic Regulatory Factors; D009928:Organ Specificity; D012313:RNA / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D051381:Rats; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics*; D014162:Transfection; D001616:beta-Galactosidase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D026161:MADS Domain Proteins; D064326:MEF2 Transcription Factors; C578040:MEF2C protein, human; D018006:Myogenic Regulatory Factors; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; D012313:RNA; D004247:DNA; D015500:Chloramphenicol O-Acetyltransferase; D001616:beta-Galactosidase