title: MKLs: co-factors of serum response factor (SRF) in neuronal responses.
abstract: Serum response factor (SRF) is a major transcription factor that regulates activity-driven gene expression in neurons. Activation of SRF-driven transcription occurs through its interaction with two families of co-factors: ternary complex factor (TCF) and myocardin-related transcription factors (MRTFs). This review focuses on the MRTF family members MKL1 (MAL/MRTF-A/BSAC) and MKL2 (MRTF-B/MAL16). MKLs share several high-homology domains but a low level of sequence identity in the transactivation domain. Both co-activators are expressed in the brain and regulate SRF-dependent gene expression. MKL1 and MKL2 function as major co-activators of SRF function in the developing mouse brain. MKLs inactivation causes ineffective neuronal migration and aberrant neurite outgrowth during development. Moreover, inhibition of MKL1 or MKL2 by short-hairpin RNAs results in a decreased number of dendritic processes and dendritic length. Altogether, MKLs appear to regulate plasticity-related structural changes in neurons.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland. k.kalita@nencki.gov.pl
authors.forename: Katarzyna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kalita
authors.forename: Bozena
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kuzniewska
authors.forename: Leszek
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kaczmarek
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D026362:Serum Response Factor / Q000378:metabolism*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D026362:Serum Response Factor; D014157:Transcription Factors