Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UNIPROT:P51532 (transcriptional activator)
 6,546 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The AT-rich element MEF-2 plays an important role in the maintenance of the muscle-specific expression of a number of cardiac and skeletal muscle genes. In the MLC-2 gene, an AT-rich element (HF-1b) which contains a consensus MEF-2 site is required for cardiac tissue-specific expression. The present study reports the isolation and characterization of a cDNA which encodes a novel C2H2 zinc finger (HF-1b) that binds in a sequence-specific manner to the HF-1b/MEF-2 site in the MLC-2 promoter. A number of independent criteria suggest that this HF-1b zinc finger protein is a component of the endogenous HF-1b/MEF-2 binding activity in cardiac muscle cells and that it can serve as a transcriptional activator of the MLC-2 promoter in transient assays. These studies suggest that, in addition to the previously reported RSRF proteins, structurally divergent transcriptional factors can bind to MEF-2-like sites in muscle promoters. These results underscore the complexity of the regulation of the muscle gene program via these AT-rich elements in cardiac and skeletal muscle.
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PMID:A novel, tissue-restricted zinc finger protein (HF-1b) binds to the cardiac regulatory element (HF-1b/MEF-2) in the rat myosin light-chain 2 gene. 832 Dec 43

GATA-4 is a cardiac-specific member of the GATA family of zinc finger transcription factors. During embryogenesis, GATA-4 expression is detected very early in the cardiogenic area and persists later in the developing heart. Studies have shown that GATA-4 is a potent transcriptional activator of several cardiac muscle-specific genes and a key regulator of the cardiomyocyte gene program. Consistent with a role for GATA-4 in cardiomyocyte formation, inhibition of GATA-4 expression by antisense transcripts interferes with expression of cardiac muscle genes and blocks development of beating cardiomyocytes in P19 embryonic stem cells. In order to better define the function of GATA-4 in cardiogenesis, we have carried out molecular analysis of early stages of cardiomyocyte differentiation in GATA-4-deficient P19 cell lines and in P19 cells stably overexpressing GATA-4. The results indicate that GATA-4 is not required for either endodermal or mesodermal commitment or for initiation of the cardiac pathway. However, in the absence of GATA-4, differentiation is blocked at the precardiac (cardioblasts) stage and cells are lost through extensive apoptosis. In contrast, ectopic expression of GATA-4 in P19 cells accelerates cardiogenesis and markedly increases (over 10-fold) the number of terminally differentiated beating cardiomyocytes following cell aggregation. Together, these findings suggest that, in addition to its role in activation of the cardiac genetic program, GATA-4 may be the nuclear target of inductive and/or survival factors for precardiac cells.
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PMID:Enhanced cardiogenesis in embryonic stem cells overexpressing the GATA-4 transcription factor. 919 65

Proteins of the LIM family play important roles in a variety of fundamental biological processes including cell lineage specification and organ development. Here we examined the function in cardiogenesis of a new member of the LIM family, hhLIM, by molecular analysis of early stages of cardiomyocyte differentiation in hhLIM-deficient P19 cell line and P19 cells stably overexpressing hhLIM. The results indicate that hhLIM is a potent transcriptional activator of several cardiac muscle-specific genes. Inhibition of hhLIM expression by antisense transcripts can interfere with expression of cardiac muscle genes and block development of beating cardiomyocytes in P19 embryonic stem cells. Overexpression of hhLIM in P19 cells can enhance expression of cardiac marker genes Nkx2.5 and GATA-4 and potentiate development of cardiomyocyte-like morphology. These findings suggest that, in addition to its role in activation of the cardiac genetic program, hhLIM may be the nuclear target of inductive factor for precardiac cells.
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PMID:hhLIM is involved in cardiomyogenesis of embryonic stem cells. 1648 72