An isolated
myocyte enhancer factor-2 (MEF2) binding molecule comprising an
amino acid sequence of: X1 X2 X3 X4 A X6 A S X9 X10 V K X13 X14 L X16 E X18 X19 L X21 K X23 X24 X25 X26, in which X1 is S or G, or is removed; X2 is K or R; X3 is R or E; X4 is S or R; X6 is V or I; X9 is S or T; X10 is V or E; X13 is Q, M, or L; X14 is K or R; X16 is A or Q; X18 is V or F; X19 is I, V, or L; X21 is K, N, or S; X23 is Q, K, or S; X24 is Q or A, or is removed; X25 is A or T, or is removed; and X26 is A or K. In addition, use of the isolated MEF2 binding molecule to inhibit binding of
histone deacetylase (HD AC) and MEF2 in a
cell, and to inhibit HDAC- induced suppression of MEF2-dependent
gene expression in a
cell.