PMID- 7729689
OWN - NLM
STAT- MEDLINE
DCOM- 19950601
LR  - 20190516
IS  - 0890-9369 (Print)
IS  - 0890-9369 (Linking)
VI  - 9
IP  - 6
DP  - 1995 Mar 15
TI  - Drosophila MEF2, a transcription factor that is essential for myogenesis.
PG  - 730-41
AB  - mef2 encodes the only apparent Drosophila homolog of the vertebrate 
      myocyte-specific enhancer factor 2 (MEF2). We show herein that the Drosophila 
      MEF2 protein is expressed throughout the mesoderm following gastrulation. Later 
      in embryogenesis, its expression is maintained in precursors and differentiated 
      cells of the somatic and visceral musculature, as well as the heart. We have 
      characterized genetic deficiencies and EMS-induced point mutations that result in 
      complete loss of MEF2 protein in homozygous mutant embryos. These embryos exhibit 
      a dramatic absence of myosin heavy chain (MHC)-expressing myoblasts and lack 
      differentiated muscle fibers. Examination of earlier events of muscle development 
      indicates that the specification and early differentiation of somatic muscle 
      precursors are not affected because even-skipped-, nautilus-, and beta 
      3-tubulin-expressing myoblasts are present. However, these partially 
      differentiated cells are unable to undergo further differentiation to form muscle 
      fibers in the absence of mef2. The later aspects of differentiation of the 
      visceral mesoderm and the heart are also disrupted in mef2 mutant embryos, 
      although the specification and early development of these tissues appear 
      unaffected. Midgut morphogenesis is disrupted in the mutant embryos, presumably 
      as a consequence of abnormal development of the visceral mesoderm. In the heart, 
      the cardial cells do not express MHC. These results indicate that MEF2 is 
      required for later aspects of differentiation of the three major types of 
      musculature, which include body wall muscles, gut musculature, and the heart, in 
      the Drosophila embryo.
FAU - Bour, B A
AU  - Bour BA
AD  - Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Pennsylvania State University, 
      University Park 16802, USA.
FAU - O'Brien, M A
AU  - O'Brien MA
FAU - Lockwood, W L
AU  - Lockwood WL
FAU - Goldstein, E S
AU  - Goldstein ES
FAU - Bodmer, R
AU  - Bodmer R
FAU - Taghert, P H
AU  - Taghert PH
FAU - Abmayr, S M
AU  - Abmayr SM
FAU - Nguyen, H T
AU  - Nguyen HT
LA  - eng
PT  - Comparative Study
PT  - Journal Article
PT  - Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
PT  - Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
PL  - United States
TA  - Genes Dev
JT  - Genes & development
JID - 8711660
RN  - 0 (DNA-Binding Proteins)
RN  - 0 (Drosophila Proteins)
RN  - 0 (Histocompatibility Antigens)
RN  - 0 (MEF2 Transcription Factors)
RN  - 0 (Mef2 protein, Drosophila)
RN  - 0 (Myogenic Regulatory Factors)
RN  - 0 (Transcription Factors)
RN  - EC 3.6.4.1 (Myosins)
SB  - IM
MH  - Amino Acid Sequence
MH  - Animals
MH  - Base Sequence
MH  - Cell Differentiation
MH  - DNA-Binding Proteins/*genetics/metabolism/physiology
MH  - Drosophila/*embryology/genetics
MH  - Drosophila Proteins
MH  - Genetic Complementation Test
MH  - Heart/embryology
MH  - Histocompatibility Antigens/analysis
MH  - MEF2 Transcription Factors
MH  - Mesoderm/physiology
MH  - Molecular Sequence Data
MH  - Muscle, Skeletal/embryology
MH  - Muscle, Smooth/embryology
MH  - Muscles/*embryology
MH  - Mutagenesis
MH  - Myogenic Regulatory Factors
MH  - Myosins/biosynthesis
MH  - Point Mutation
MH  - Stem Cells
MH  - Transcription Factors/*genetics/metabolism/physiology
MH  - Viscera/abnormalities
EDAT- 1995/03/15 00:00
MHDA- 1995/03/15 00:01
CRDT- 1995/03/15 00:00
PHST- 1995/03/15 00:00 [pubmed]
PHST- 1995/03/15 00:01 [medline]
PHST- 1995/03/15 00:00 [entrez]
AID - 10.1101/gad.9.6.730 [doi]
PST - ppublish
SO  - Genes Dev. 1995 Mar 15;9(6):730-41. doi: 10.1101/gad.9.6.730.