Transformation by activated ras or fos prevents myogenesis by inhibiting expression of MyoD1

Transformation of myoblasts by activated ras inhibits myogenic differentiation. We demonstrate that this oncogene inhibits expression of the muscle regulatory factors MyoD1 and myogenin. Expression of retroviral-encoded MyoD1 in ras-transformed myoblasts leads to the re-expression of both terminal differentiation markers and lineage markers expressed in proliferating myoblasts (including endogenous MyoD1 and myogenin), suggesting that ras inhibits myogenic differentiation in a manner dependent on the loss of MyoD1 expression. In addition, we show that fos transformation of myoblasts inhibits muscle differentiation by a similar mechanism.