title: E47 phosphorylation by p38 MAPK promotes MyoD/E47 association and muscle-specific gene transcription.
abstract: Selective recognition of the E-box sequences on muscle gene promoters by heterodimers of myogenic basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factors, such as MyoD, with the ubiquitous bHLH proteins E12 and E47 is a key event in skeletal myogenesis. However, homodimers of MyoD or E47 are unable of binding to and activating muscle chromatin targets, suggesting that formation of functional MyoD/E47 heterodimers is pivotal in controlling muscle transcription. Here we show that p38 MAPK, whose activity is essential for myogenesis, regulates MyoD/E47 heterodimerization. Phosphorylation of E47 at Ser140 by p38 induces MyoD/E47 association and activation of muscle-specific transcription, while the nonphosphorylatable E47 mutant Ser140Ala fails to heterodimerize with MyoD and displays impaired myogenic potential. Moreover, inhibition of p38 activity in myocytes precludes E47 phosphorylation at Ser140, which results in reduced MyoD/E47 heterodimerization and inefficient muscle differentiation, as a consequence of the impaired binding of the transcription factors to the E regulatory regions of muscle genes. These findings identify a novel pro-myogenic role of p38 in regulating the formation of functional MyoD/E47 heterodimers that are essential for myogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Center for Genomic Regulation, Program on Differentiation and Cancer, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Frederic
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lluís
authors.forename: Esteban
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ballestar
authors.forename: Mònica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Suelves
authors.forename: Manel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Esteller
authors.forename: Pura
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Muñoz-Cánoves
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001665:Binding Sites; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002460:Cell Line; D004247:DNA / Q000378:metabolism; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D019281:Dimerization; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D051379:Mice; D032342:Muscle Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D009132:Muscles / Q000378:metabolism; D016297:Mutagenesis, Site-Directed; D017570:MyoD Protein / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D041681:NIH 3T3 Cells; D010766:Phosphorylation; D020836:Protein Structure, Quaternary; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012694:Serine / Q000737:chemistry; D051820:TCF Transcription Factors; D058125:Transcription Factor 7-Like 1 Protein; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D017570:MyoD Protein; C057363:MyoD1 myogenic differentiation protein; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D051820:TCF Transcription Factors; C544912:TCF7L1 protein, human; C544913:Tcf7l1 protein, mouse; D058125:Transcription Factor 7-Like 1 Protein; D014157:Transcription Factors; D012694:Serine; D004247:DNA; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases
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