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Functional studies of the Ciona intestinalis myogenic regulatory factor reveal conserved features of chordate myogenesis
- Source :
- Developmental Biology. 376:213-223
- Publication Year :
- 2013
- Publisher :
- Elsevier BV, 2013.
-
Abstract
- Ci-MRF is the sole myogenic regulatory factor (MRF) of the ascidian Ciona intestinalis, an invertebrate chordate. In order to investigate its properties we developed a simple in vivo assay based on misexpressing Ci-MRF in the notochord of Ciona embryos. We used this assay to examine the roles of three structural motifs that are conserved among MRFs: an alanine–threonine (Ala–Thr) dipeptide of the basic domain that is known in vertebrates as the myogenic code, a cysteine/histidine-rich (C/H) domain found just N-terminal to the basic domain, and a carboxy-terminal amphipathic α-helix referred to as Helix III. We show that the Ala–Thr dipeptide is necessary for normal Ci-MRF function, and that while eliminating the C/H domain or Helix III individually has no demonstrable effect on Ci-MRF, simultaneous loss of both motifs significantly reduces its activity. Our studies also indicate that direct interaction between CiMRF and an essential E-box of Ciona Troponin I is required for the expression of this muscle-specific gene and that multiple classes of MRF-regulated genes exist in Ciona. These findings are consistent with substantial conservation of MRF-directed myogenesis in chordates and demonstrate for the first time that the Ala/Thr dipeptide of the basic domain of an invertebrate MRF behaves as a myogenic code.
- Subjects :
- Threonine
Evolution
Notochord
Chordate
Muscle Development
Bioinformatics
Models, Biological
Article
Protein Structure, Secondary
03 medical and health sciences
0302 clinical medicine
medicine
Animals
Ciona intestinalis
Chordata
Structural motif
Molecular Biology
Gene
030304 developmental biology
0303 health sciences
Alanine
biology
Myogenesis
Muscles
Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental
Cell Biology
biology.organism_classification
Protein Structure, Tertiary
Cell biology
Ciona
medicine.anatomical_structure
Myogenic Regulatory Factors
Mutation
embryonic structures
Myogenic regulatory factors
Muscle
Myogenic code
Peptides
MRF
030217 neurology & neurosurgery
Developmental Biology
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 00121606
- Volume :
- 376
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Developmental Biology
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....db689a1d5c9779ba8ad8b6d07a248fdf