Chapter 1 The myogenic regulatory factors

Abstract

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the mycogenic regulatory factors. The chapter illustrates that the first hints to the existence of a dominant-acting myogenic transcription factor come from studies in which non-muscle cells were fused to myoblasts and muscle specific gene expression was activated in the non-muscle nuclei of the heterocaryons. This transcription factor has been identified by a subtractive cDNA approach and called MyoD. MyoD is a basic helix loop helix transcription factor capable of inducing myogenic gene expression in non-muscle cells. Myf5, Myogenin and MRF4 have been identified as members of the MyoD family of transcription factors, also called the myogenic regulator factors (MRFs). A similar capacity to induce muscle specific gene expression in non-muscle cells is demonstrated in the chapter for these MRFs. Members of this family have subsequently been identified in a diverse array of organisms including: Drosophila, Xenopus, Chicken, mouse, and human.