title: MyoD induces myogenic differentiation through cooperation of its NH2- and COOH-terminal regions.
abstract: MyoD and Myf5 are basic helix-loop-helix transcription factors that play key but redundant roles in specifying myogenic progenitors during embryogenesis. However, there are functional differences between the two transcription factors that impact myoblast proliferation and differentiation. Target gene activation could be one such difference. We have used microarray and polymerase chain reaction approaches to measure the induction of muscle gene expression by MyoD and Myf5 in an in vitro model. In proliferating cells, MyoD and Myf5 function very similarly to activate the expression of likely growth phase target genes such as L-myc, m-cadherin, Mcpt8, Runx1, Spp1, Six1, IGFBP5, and Chrnbeta1. MyoD, however, is strikingly more effective than Myf5 at inducing differentiation-phase target genes. This distinction between MyoD and Myf5 results from a novel and unanticipated cooperation between the MyoD NH2- and COOH-terminal regions. Together, these results support the notion that Myf5 functions toward myoblast proliferation, whereas MyoD prepares myoblasts for efficient differentiation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario K1N 6N5, Canada.
authors.forename: Jeff
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ishibashi
authors.forename: Robert L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Perry
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Asakura
authors.forename: Michael A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Rudnicki
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D017570:MyoD Protein / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D032446:Myoblasts / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D051787:Myogenic Regulatory Factor 5 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D015533:Transcriptional Activation
chemical_list: C497418:Myf5 protein, mouse; D017570:MyoD Protein; D051787:Myogenic Regulatory Factor 5