MHox: a mesodermally restricted homeodomain protein that binds an essential site in the muscle creatine kinase enhancer.

Myogenic helix-loop-helix (HLH) proteins, such as myogenin and MyoD, can activate muscle-specific transcription when introduced into a variety of nonmuscle cell types. Whereas cells of mesodermal origin are especially permissive to the actions of these myogenic regulators, many other cell types are refractory to myogenic conversion by them. Here we describe a novel homeodomain protein, MHox, that binds an A+T-rich element in the muscle creatine kinase (MCK) enhancer that is essential for muscle-specific transcription and trans-activation by myogenic HLH proteins. MHox is completely restricted to mesodermally derived cell types during embryogenesis and to established cell lines of mesodermal origin. In contrast to most other homeobox genes, MHox expression is excluded from the nervous system, with the highest levels observed in limb bud and visceral arches. In adult mice, MHox is expressed at high levels in skeletal muscle, heart and uterus. The DNA-binding properties and pattern of MHox expression are unique among homeobox genes and suggest a role for MHox as a transcriptional regulator that participates in the establishment of diverse mesodermal cell types.