S. macrurus myogenic regulatory factors (MRFs) induce mammalian skeletal muscle differentiation; evidence for functional conservation of MRFs.

ABSTRACT: The current-producing cells of the electric organ, i.e., electrocytes, in Sternopygus macrurus derive from skeletal muscle fibers. Mature electrocytes are not contractile, but they do retain some muscle proteins, are multinucleated, and receive cholinergic innervation. Electrocytes express the myogenic regulatory factors (MRFs) MyoD, myogenin, Myf5 and MRF4 despite their incomplete muscle phenotype. Although S. macrurus MRFs share functional domains which are highly conserved and their expression is confined to the myogenic lineage, their capability to induce the muscle phenotype has not been determined. To test the functional conservation of S. macrurus MRFs to transcriptionally activate skeletal muscle gene expression and induce the myogenic program, we transiently over-expressed S. macr

SUBMITTER: Kim HJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2711524 | biostudies-literature | 2009

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature