RNA Binding Motif Protein 24 (RBM24)

RBM24 is restricted to the lateral and ventral mesoderm during gastrulation and then localized to the somitic mesoderm, in a similar pattern as XMyoD gene. A 0.65kb X. tropicalis RBM24 regulatory region contains multiple E boxes (CANNTG), which are potential binding sites for MyoD and other bHLH proteins. Knockdown of Seb4 produces similar effects as those obtained by the dominant negative MyoD mutant, indicating that it is required for the expression of myogenic genes and myogenesis in the embryo. In cultured ectodermal explants, although overexpression of Seb4 has no obvious effect on myogenesis, knockdown of Seb4 inhibits the expression of myogenic genes and myogenesis induced by MyoD. Seb4/RBM24 is a direct target of MyoD and is required for myogenesis during Xenopus early development.