Abstract 1879 Exploring the Role of Peptidyl Arginine Deiminase (PAD) Enzymes in the Differentiation of Myoblasts

Skeletal muscle differentiation, or myogenesis, involves the expression of lineage specific genes that enable clonal expansion and differentiation of myoblasts. Changes in gene expression patterns are controlled by transcription factors, histone modifiers, and chromatin remodeling enzymes. Among these, the family of peptidyl arginine deiminase (PAD) enzymes, which catalyzes protein citrullination, are emerging as a novel regulator of transcription. Citrullination involves the hydrolysis of the positively charged guanidium side chain of an arginine residue to form the neutral urea present in citrulline, and regulates RNA processing, protein-protein, and protein-DNA interactions.