Rat Myogenin, MYOG ELI

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.

Essential for the development of functional embryonic skeletal fiber muscle differentiation.

However is dispensable for postnatal skeletal muscle growth; phosphorylation by CAMK2G inhibits its transcriptional activity in respons to muscle activity.

Required for the recruitment of the FACT complex to muscle-specific promoter regions, thus promoting gene expression initiation.

During terminal myoblast differentiation, plays a role as a strong activator of transcription at loci with an open chromatin structure previously initiated by MYOD1.

Together with MYF5 and MYOD1, co-occupies muscle-specific gene promoter core regions during myogenesis.

Cooperates also 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.

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.

Binds to the E-box containing (E1) promoter region of the miR-20a gene.

Plays also a role in preventing reversal of muscle cell differentiation.

Contributes to the atrophy-related gene expression in adult denervated muscles.

Induces fibroblasts to differentiate into myoblasts.