title: Transcriptional control of muscle development by myocyte enhancer factor-2 (MEF2) proteins.
abstract: Metazoans contain multiple types of muscle cells that share several common properties, including contractility, excitability, and expression of overlapping sets of muscle structural genes that mediate these functions. Recent biochemical and genetic studies have demonstrated that members of the myocyte enhancer factor-2 (MEF2) family of MADS (MCM1, agamous, deficiens, serum response factor)-box transcription factors play multiple roles in muscle cells to control myogenesis and morphogenesis. Like other MADS-box proteins, MEF2 proteins act combinatorially through protein-protein interactions with other transcription factors to control specific sets of target genes. Genetic studies in Drosophila have also begun to reveal the upstream elements of myogenic regulatory hierarchies that control MEF2 expression during development of skeletal, cardiac, and visceral muscle lineages. Paradoxically, MEF2 factors also regulate cell proliferation by functioning as endpoints for a variety of growth factor-regulated intracellular signaling pathways that are antagonistic to muscle differentiation. We discuss the diverse functions of this family of transcription factors, the ways in which they are regulated, and their mechanisms of action.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology and Oncology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas 75235-9148, USA. bblack@mednet.swmed.edu
authors.forename: B L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Black
authors.forename: E N
authors.initials: EN
authors.lastname: Olson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D006133:Growth Substances / Q000502:physiology; D006321:Heart / Q000196:embryology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D064326:MEF2 Transcription Factors; D009024:Morphogenesis; D024510:Muscle Development; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000196:embryology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000196:embryology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*; D018006:Myogenic Regulatory Factors; D015398:Signal Transduction; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D006133:Growth Substances; D064326:MEF2 Transcription Factors; D018006:Myogenic Regulatory Factors; D014157:Transcription Factors