MYOG

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Description

The MYOG (myogenin) is a protein-coding gene located on chromosome 1.

Myogenin, encoded by the MYOG gene, is a transcriptional activator involved in skeletal muscle development (myogenesis) and repair. It belongs to the MyoD family of transcription factors, which also includes MyoD, Myf5, and MRF4. Myogenin is essential for the development of functional skeletal muscle in mice, being crucial for the differentiation of myogenic precursor cells. Mice lacking both copies of myogenin (homozygous-null) exhibit severe skeletal muscle defects and perinatal lethality due to the lack of mature secondary skeletal muscle fibers. In cell culture, myogenin can induce myogenesis in various non-muscle cell types. Myogenin interacts with several proteins, including MDFI, POLR2C, Serum response factor, Sp1 transcription factor, and TCF3.

MYOG acts as a transcriptional activator that promotes transcription of muscle-specific target genes and plays a role in muscle differentiation, cell cycle exit and muscle atrophy. It is essential for the development of functional embryonic skeletal fiber muscle differentiation but is dispensable for postnatal skeletal muscle growth. Phosphorylation by CAMK2G inhibits its transcriptional activity in response to muscle activity. MYOG is required for the recruitment of the FACT complex to muscle-specific promoter regions, thus promoting gene expression initiation. During terminal myoblast differentiation, it acts as a strong activator of transcription at loci with an open chromatin structure previously initiated by MYOD1. MYOG, along with MYF5 and MYOD1, co-occupies muscle-specific gene promoter core regions during myogenesis. It also cooperates with myocyte-specific enhancer factor MEF2D and BRG1-dependent recruitment of SWI/SNF chromatin-remodeling enzymes to alter chromatin structure at myogenic late gene promoters. MYOG facilitates cell cycle exit during terminal muscle differentiation through the up-regulation of miR-20a expression, which in turn represses genes involved in cell cycle progression. It binds to the E-box containing (E1) promoter region of the miR-20a gene. MYOG also plays a role in preventing reversal of muscle cell differentiation. It contributes to the atrophy-related gene expression in adult denervated muscles. It induces fibroblasts to differentiate into myoblasts (By similarity).

MYOG is also known as MYF4, bHLHc3, myf-4.

Associated Diseases

• lethal congenital contracture syndrome 1
• lethal congenital contracture syndrome 3
• metatropic dysplasia
• Poland syndrome
• autosomal recessive spondylocostal dysostosis
• neuronopathy, distal hereditary motor, autosomal dominant 8
• Richieri Costa-da Silva syndrome
• spondylometaphyseal dysplasia, Kozlowski type
• spondylo-megaepiphyseal-metaphyseal dysplasia
• brachyolmia type 1, Hobaek type