Abstract
MEF-2 is a muscle-specific DNA binding activity that recognizes an A+T-rich sequence found in the control regions of numerous muscle-specific genes. The recent cloning of MEF-2 showed that it belongs to the MADS (MCM1, Agamous, Deficiens, and serum-response factor) box family of transcription factors and that MEF-2 mRNA is expressed ubiquitously. Here we describe the cloning of a member of the MEF-2 gene family, referred to as MEF-2C, that is nearly identical to other MEF-2 gene products in the MADS box but diverges from other members of the family outside of this domain. MEF-2C binds the MEF-2 site with high affinity and can activate transcription of a reporter gene linked to tandem copies of that site. In contrast to previously described members of the MEF-2 family, MEF-2C transcripts are highly enriched in skeletal muscle, spleen, and brain of adult mice and are upregulated during myoblast differentiation. These results suggest that the MEF-2 site is a target for a diverse family of proteins that regulates transcription in a variety of cell types.
Publication types
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Comparative Study
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
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Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.
MeSH terms
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Amino Acid Sequence
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Animals
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Base Sequence
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Binding Sites
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Brain / metabolism
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Cell Line
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Cloning, Molecular
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Creatine Kinase / metabolism
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DNA / genetics
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DNA / isolation & purification
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DNA-Binding Proteins / genetics*
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DNA-Binding Proteins / metabolism*
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Exons
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Humans
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MADS Domain Proteins
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MEF2 Transcription Factors
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Mice
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Molecular Sequence Data
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Multigene Family*
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Muscles / metabolism
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Myocardium / metabolism*
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Myogenic Regulatory Factors*
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Oligodeoxyribonucleotides
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Organ Specificity
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Polymerase Chain Reaction
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Protein Biosynthesis
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RNA, Messenger / metabolism
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Restriction Mapping
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Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
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Spleen / metabolism
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Transcription Factors / genetics*
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Transcription Factors / metabolism*
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Transcription, Genetic
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Transfection
Substances
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DNA-Binding Proteins
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MADS Domain Proteins
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MEF2 Transcription Factors
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MEF2C protein, human
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Mef2c protein, mouse
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Myogenic Regulatory Factors
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Oligodeoxyribonucleotides
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RNA, Messenger
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Transcription Factors
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DNA
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Creatine Kinase