title: The PDZ-containing unconventional myosin XVIIIA regulates embryonic muscle integrity in zebrafish.
abstract: Myosin XVIIIA, or MYO18A, is a unique PDZ domain-containing unconventional myosin and is evolutionarily conserved from Drosophila to vertebrates. Although there is evidence indicating its expression in the somites, whether it regulates muscle function remains unclear. We show that the two zebrafish myo18a genes (myo18aa and myo18ab) are predominantly expressed at somite borders during early developmental stages. Knockdown of these genes or overexpression of the MYO18A PDZ domain disrupts myofiber integrity, induces myofiber lesions, and compromises the localization of dystrophin, α-dystroglycan (α-DG) and laminin at the myotome boundaries. Cell transplantation experiments indicate that myo18a morphant myoblasts fail to form elongated myofibers in the myotomes of wild-type embryos, which can be rescued by the full-length MYO18A protein. These results suggest that MYO18A likely functions in the adhesion process that maintains the stable attachment of myofibers to ECM (extracellular matrix) and muscle integrity during early development.
authors.affiliation: School of Life Sciences, Shandong University, 27 Shanda Nan Road, Jinan 250100, China.
authors.forename: Jianmeng
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.affiliation: School of Life Sciences, Shandong University, 27 Shanda Nan Road, Jinan 250100, China.
authors.forename: Shangqi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: School of Life Sciences, Shandong University, 27 Shanda Nan Road, Jinan 250100, China.
authors.forename: Ming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shao
authors.affiliation: School of Life Sciences, Shandong University, 27 Shanda Nan Road, Jinan 250100, China.
authors.forename: Xiaoning
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.affiliation: School of Life Sciences, Shandong University, 27 Shanda Nan Road, Jinan 250100, China. Electronic address: xuzg@sdu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Zhigang
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: School of Life Sciences, Shandong University, 27 Shanda Nan Road, Jinan 250100, China; Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06, UMR 7622, Laboratory of Developmental Biology, F-75005 Paris, France; CNRS, UMR 7622, Laboratory of Developmental Biology, F-75005 Paris, France. Electronic address: de-li.shi@upmc.fr.
authors.forename: Deli
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Shi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D049030:Dystroglycans / Q000378:metabolism; D016189:Dystrophin / Q000378:metabolism; D049028:Dystrophin-Associated Protein Complex / Q000378:metabolism; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D055785:Gene Knockdown Techniques; D034882:Lamins / Q000378:metabolism; D009132:Muscles / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D032446:Myoblasts / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D009218:Myosins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D054731:PDZ Domains; D021381:Protein Transport; D019170:Somites / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D015027:Zebrafish / Q000196:embryology*
chemical_list: D016189:Dystrophin; D049028:Dystrophin-Associated Protein Complex; D034882:Lamins; D049030:Dystroglycans; D009218:Myosins
keywords: Dystroglycan; Dystrophin; MYO18A; Muscle; Myofiber; Myosin XVIIIA; Unconventional myosin; Zebrafish