Nucleotide sequence and variations of the bovine myocyte enhancer factor 2C (MEF2C) gene promoter in Bos Taurus cattle

Abstract

Myocyte Enhancer Factor 2 (MEF2) proteins are a small family of transcription factors that play pivotal role in morphogenesis and myogenesis of skeletal, cardiac, and smooth muscle cells. In vertebrates, there are four MEF2 genes, referred to as MEF2A, -B, -C, and -D, that are located on different chromosomes. After birth MEF2A, MEF2B, MEF2D transcriptions are expressed ubiquitously, whereas MEF2C transcripts are restricted to skeletal muscle, brain, and spleen. In this study, on the basis of the sequences of the bovine chromosome 7 genomic contig, available in the GenBank database, sets of PCR primers were designed and to amplify the bovine MEF2C gene promoter region, exon 1 (5′UTR) and part sequence of the intron 1. Seven overlapping fragments of the bovine MEF2C gene were amplified and then sequenced. Altogether, these fragments were composed in the 3,120-bp sequence which was deposited in the GenBank database under accession no. GU211007. The sequence fragment included the putative site of the promoter region and transcription start of the exon 1. The sequence analysis of these fragments in individual animals representing different Bos taurus breeds revealed four variations in promoter region: g.-1606C>T, g.-1336_-1335DelG, g.-818C>T, g.-613_-612DelA and four SNPs within intron 1: g.2711A>G, g. 2913A>G, g.2962G>T and g.3014A>G. No polymorphism was found within sequence of the exon 1 (5′UTR). These polymorphisms were identified for first time using these sequences and were confirmed by RFLP or MSSCP methods.

Promoter Variant-Dependent mRNA Expression of theMEF2AinLongissimus DorsiMuscle in Cattle

“…Recently, Zhou et al (2010) described three SNPs in 5¢-UTR, exon 4, and intron of the chicken MEF2A gene. In our previous study, we found in the bovine Mef2C gene two substitutions and two InDels upstream from the putative transcription start of exon 1 that were deposited in the GenBank database ( Juszczuk-Kubiak et al, 2011).…”

Function analysis of Mef2c promoter in muscle differentiation

“…Homologous ESTs of pig were available from GenBank using a BLASTN program based on cattle Mef2c gene sequence . Genomic DNA template was prepared from blood of a Meishan pig.…”

“…Many of the same transcription factors (TFs) that control embryonic myogenesis are redeployed during adult regenerative myogenesis. Myocyte enhancer factor 2 (MEF2) is a family of TFs that plays a crucial role in myogenesis of skeletal, cardiac, and smooth muscle and is essential for muscle differentiation . In vertebrates, this family has four members: MEF2A, MEF2B, MEF2C, and MEF2D .…”

“…In drosophila, mutation of the single Mef2 inhibits muscle differentiation . The role of Mef2c in skeletal muscle has been a research hotspot until recently, but how this gene is regulated at the level of transcription is poorly understood . Pig as an important model organism has been widely used for human health research because of the metabolic and immune similarity between pig and human .…”

Association of novel polymorphisms in the bovine myocyte enhancer factor 2D (MEF2D) gene with carcass traits of Polish Holstein-Friesian cattle

“…Several SNPs in the MEF2A gene, which were associated with body and muscle weight, have been reported in cattle (Chen et al, 2010) and chickens (Zhou et al, 2010). Recently, five new SNPs in the promoter region and intron 1 of the bovine MEF2C gene (Juszczuk-Kubiak et al, 2011), as well as three SNPs in the promoter region of the MEF2A gene (Juszczuk-Kubiak et al, 2012a), have been reported. In neither case was association of the SNPs with carcass traits studied, but a significant effect of the promoter variants on the MEF2A mRNA level in the LD muscle of young Polish Holstein-Friesian bulls was shown.…”