A single cdk inhibitor, p27Xic1, functions beyond cell cycle regulation to promote muscle differentiation in Xenopus

A. E. Vernon
2003 Development  
The molecular basis of the antagonism between cellular proliferation and differentiation is poorly understood. We have investigated the role of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p27 Xic1 in the co-ordination of cell cycle exit and differentiation during early myogenesis in vivo using Xenopus embryos. In this report, we demonstrate that p27 Xic1 is highly expressed in the developing myotome, that ablation of p27 Xic1 protein prevents muscle differentiation and that p27 Xic1 synergizes with
more » ... e transcription factor MyoD to promote muscle differentiation. Furthermore, the ability of p27 Xic1 to promote myogenesis resides in an Nterminal domain and is separable from its cell cycle regulation function. This data demonstrates that a single cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor, p27 Xic1 , controls in vivo muscle differentiation in Xenopus and that regulation of this process by p27 Xic1 requires activities beyond cell cycle inhibition.
doi:10.1242/dev.00180 pmid:12441292 fatcat:bdmatrpmbbcszjpxewl52hh4ci