Yes-Associated Protein is up-regulated by mechanical overload and is sufficient to induce skeletal muscle hypertrophy.

Mechanically-induced skeletal muscle growth is regulated by mammalian/mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1). Yes-Associated Protein (YAP) is a mechanically-sensitive, and growth-related, transcriptional co-activator that can regulate mTORC1. Here we show that, in skeletal muscle, mechanical overload promotes an increase in YAP expression; however, the time course of YAP expression is markedly different from that of mTORC1 activation. We also show that the overexpression of YAP induces hypertrophy via an mTORC1-independent mechanism. Finally, we provide preliminary evidence of possible mediators of YAP-induced hypertrophy (e.g. increased MyoD and c-Myc expression, and decreased Smad2/3 activity and muscle ring finger 1 (MuRF1) expression).