Pctaire1/Cdk16 promotes skeletal myogenesis by inducing myoblast migration and fusion.

The Cdk-related protein kinase Pctaire1/Cdk16 is abundantly expressed in brain, testis and skeletal muscle. Functional roles of Pctaire1 such as regulation of neuron migration and neurite outgrowth thus far have been mainly elucidated in the field of nervous system development. Although these regulations based on cytoskeletal rearrangements evoke a possible role of Pctaire1 in the development of skeletal muscle, little is known in this regard. In this study, we demonstrated that myogenic differentiation and subsequent fusion is promoted in Pctaire1 overexpressing cells, and conversely, is inhibited in the knockdown cells. Furthermore, our findings suggest that Pctaire1 exerts promyogenic effects by regulating myoblast migration and process formation during skeletal myogenesis.