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Thin filaments elongate from their pointed ends during myofibril assembly in Drosophila indirect flight muscle

Academic Article
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Overview

authors

  • Mardahl-Dumesnil, M.
  • Fowler, Velia

publication date

  • December 2001

journal

  • Journal of Cell Biology  Journal

abstract

  • Tropomodulin (Tmod) is an actin pointed-end capping protein that regulates actin dynamics at thin filament pointed ends in striated muscle. Although pointed-end capping by Tmod controls thin filament lengths in assembled myofibrils, its role in length specification during de novo myofibril assembly is not established. We used the Drosophila Tmod homologue, sanpodo (spdo), to investigate Tmod's function during muscle development in the indirect flight muscle. SPDO was associated with the pointed ends of elongating thin filaments throughout myofibril assembly. Transient overexpression of SPDO during myofibril assembly irreversibly arrested elongation of preexisting thin filaments. However, the lengths of thin filaments assembled after SPDO levels had declined were normal. Flies with a preponderance of abnormally short thin filaments were unable to fly. We conclude that: (a) thin filaments elongate from their pointed ends during myofibril assembly; (b) pointed ends are dynamically capped at endogenous levels of SPDO so as to allow elongation; (c) a transient increase in SPDO levels during myofibril assembly converts SPDO from a dynamic to a permanent cap; and (d) developmental regulation of pointed-end capping during myofibril assembly is crucial for specification of final thin filament lengths, myofibril structure, and muscle function.

subject areas

  • Actin Cytoskeleton
  • Age Factors
  • Animals
  • Animals, Genetically Modified
  • Carrier Proteins
  • Drosophila
  • Drosophila Proteins
  • Flight, Animal
  • Gene Expression
  • Isomerism
  • Microfilament Proteins
  • Microscopy, Electron
  • Muscles
  • Myocardium
  • Myofibrils
  • Tropomodulin
  • Vertebrates
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Research

keywords

  • actin-capping protein
  • myofibril
  • sanpodo
  • thin filaments
  • tropomodulin
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Identity

PubMed Central ID

  • PMC2150893

International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)

  • 0021-9525

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

  • 10.1083/jcb.200108026

PubMed ID

  • 11739412
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Additional Document Info

start page

  • 1043

end page

  • 1053

volume

  • 155

issue

  • 6

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