TY - JOUR TI - Actin-related protein 5 functions as a novel modulator of MyoD and MyoG in skeletal muscle and in rhabdomyosarcoma AU - Morita, Tsuyoshi AU - Hayashi, Ken'ichiro A2 - Davidson, Irwin A2 - Cheah, Kathryn Song Eng A2 - Davidson, Irwin VL - 11 PY - 2022 DA - 2022/03/29 SP - e77746 C1 - eLife 2022;11:e77746 DO - 10.7554/eLife.77746 UR - https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.77746 AB - Myogenic regulatory factors (MRFs) are pivotal transcription factors in myogenic differentiation. MyoD commits cells to the skeletal muscle lineage by inducing myogenic genes through recruitment of chromatin remodelers to its target loci. This study showed that actin-related protein 5 (Arp5) acts as an inhibitory regulator of MyoD and MyoG by binding to their cysteine-rich (CR) region, which overlaps with the region essential for their epigenetic functions. Arp5 expression was faint in skeletal muscle tissues. Excessive Arp5 in mouse hind limbs caused skeletal muscle fiber atrophy. Further, Arp5 overexpression in myoblasts inhibited myotube formation by diminishing myogenic gene expression, whereas Arp5 depletion augmented myogenic gene expression. Arp5 disturbed MyoD-mediated chromatin remodeling through competition with the three-amino-acid-loop-extension-class homeodomain transcription factors the Pbx1–Meis1 heterodimer for binding to the CR region. This antimyogenic function was independent of the INO80 chromatin remodeling complex, although Arp5 is an important component of that. In rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) cells, Arp5 expression was significantly higher than in normal myoblasts and skeletal muscle tissue, probably contributing to MyoD and MyoG activity dysregulation. Arp5 depletion in RMS partially restored myogenic properties while inhibiting tumorigenic properties. Thus, Arp5 is a novel modulator of MRFs in skeletal muscle differentiation. KW - myogenesis KW - transcription factors KW - actin-related protein KW - rhabdomyosarcoma JF - eLife SN - 2050-084X PB - eLife Sciences Publications, Ltd ER -