Potentiation of serum response factor activity by a family of myocardin-related transcription factors

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2002 Nov 12;99(23):14855-60. doi: 10.1073/pnas.222561499. Epub 2002 Oct 23.

Abstract

Myocardin is a SAP (SAF-A/B, Acinus, PIAS) domain transcription factor that associates with serum response factor (SRF) to potently enhance SRF-dependent transcription. Here we describe two myocardin-related transcription factors (MRTFs), A and B, that also interact with SRF and stimulate its transcriptional activity. Whereas myocardin is expressed specifically in cardiac and smooth muscle cells, MRTF-A and -B are expressed in numerous embryonic and adult tissues. In SRF-deficient embryonic stem cells, myocardin and MRTFs are unable to activate SRF-dependent reporter genes, confirming their dependence on SRF. Myocardin and MRTFs comprise a previously uncharacterized family of SRF cofactors with the potential to modulate SRF target genes in a wide range of tissues.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Base Sequence
  • Binding Sites
  • Blotting, Northern
  • Cloning, Molecular
  • DNA, Complementary
  • Expressed Sequence Tags
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental*
  • Glutathione Transferase / genetics
  • Humans
  • Mice
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Myocardin
  • Myocardium / metabolism*
  • Nuclear Proteins / genetics*
  • Nuclear Proteins / metabolism*
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / metabolism
  • Sequence Alignment
  • Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
  • Serum Response Factor / genetics*
  • Serum Response Factor / metabolism*
  • Trans-Activators / genetics*
  • Trans-Activators / metabolism*
  • Transcription Factors
  • Xenopus

Substances

  • DNA, Complementary
  • Glutathione Transferase
  • Nuclear Proteins
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins
  • Serum Response Factor
  • Trans-Activators
  • Transcription Factors
  • Myocardin