Myocardin is a critical serum response factor cofactor in the transcriptional program regulating smooth muscle cell differentiation.

ABSTRACT: The SAP family transcription factor myocardin functionally synergizes with serum response factor (SRF) and plays an important role in cardiac development. To determine the function of myocardin in the smooth muscle cell (SMC) lineage, we mapped the pattern of myocardin gene expression and examined the molecular mechanisms underlying transcriptional activity of myocardin in SMCs and embryonic stem (ES) cells. The human and murine myocardin genes were expressed in vascular and visceral SMCs at levels equivalent to or exceeding those observed in the heart. During embryonic development, the myocardin gene was expressed abundantly in a precise, developmentally regulated pattern in SMCs. Forced expression of myocardin transactivated multiple SMC-specific transcriptional regulatory elements in no

SUBMITTER: Du KL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC150745 | biostudies-literature | 2003 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature