During cellular differentiation, gene expression is globally regulated through changes in the epigenome. How a single genome can give rise to a diversity of cell and tissue types remains a complex area of investigation, and here we sought to explore the molecular regulation of gene expression during the differentiation of skeletal muscle cells from committed myogenic progenitors. Using a systematic and integrated analysis of global transcriptional and epigenetic data, we characterized the regulation of gene expression in differentiating myoblasts and found that muscle-specific gene expression is regulated through differential activation of tissue-specific regulatory DNA elements by the myogenic transcription factor MyoD. In addition, the genome-wide localization of MyoD, and the mechanisms underlying its function in transcriptional regulation, varies between myogenic progenitors and differentiating myoblasts. Our study explores the recruitment and function of MyoD at regulatory elements of target genes and additionally describes a novel role for ligand-inducible signaling in the regulation of MyoD function and ultimately in myogenic differentiation.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:uottawa.ca/oai:ruor.uottawa.ca:10393/35079 |
| Date | January 2016 |
| Creators | Dixon, Katherine |
| Contributors | Li, Qiao |
| Publisher | Université d'Ottawa / University of Ottawa |
| Source Sets | Université d’Ottawa |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | application/pdf |
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