PUBLICATION
Ectopic expression of Myomaker and Myomixer in slow muscle cells induces slow muscle fusion and myofiber death
- Authors
- Yong, P., Zhang, Z., Du, S.
- ID
- ZDB-PUB-240901-24
- Date
- 2024
- Source
- Journal of genetics and genomics = Yi chuan xue bao 51(11): 1187-1203 (Journal)
- Registered Authors
- Du, Shao Jun (Jim)
- Keywords
- Fiber specificity, Muscle cell fusion, Myofiber death, Myomaker, Myomixer, Transgenic zebrafish model
- MeSH Terms
-
- Ectopic Gene Expression
- Animals
- Zebrafish Proteins*/genetics
- Zebrafish Proteins*/metabolism
- Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental/genetics
- Muscle Fibers, Slow-Twitch*/cytology
- Muscle Fibers, Slow-Twitch*/metabolism
- Muscle Proteins/genetics
- Muscle Proteins/metabolism
- Cell Fusion*
- Animals, Genetically Modified/genetics
- Muscle Fibers, Fast-Twitch/cytology
- Muscle Fibers, Fast-Twitch/metabolism
- Zebrafish*/genetics
- Cell Death/genetics
- Muscle Fibers, Skeletal/cytology
- Muscle Fibers, Skeletal/metabolism
- PubMed
- 39209151 Full text @ J. Genet. Genomics
Citation
Yong, P., Zhang, Z., Du, S. (2024) Ectopic expression of Myomaker and Myomixer in slow muscle cells induces slow muscle fusion and myofiber death. Journal of genetics and genomics = Yi chuan xue bao. 51(11):1187-1203.
Abstract
Zebrafish embryos possess two major types of myofibers, the slow and fast fibers, with distinct patterns of cell fusion. The fast muscle cells can fuse, while the slow muscle cells cannot. Here, we show that myomaker is expressed in both slow and fast muscle precursors, while myomixer is exclusive to fast muscle cells. The loss of Prdm1a, a regulator of slow muscle differentiation, results in strong myomaker and myomixer expression and slow muscle cell fusion. This abnormal fusion is further confirmed by the direct ectopic expression of myomaker or myomixer in slow muscle cells of transgenic models. Using the transgenic models, we show that the heterologous fusion between slow and fast muscle cells can alter slow muscle cell migration and gene expression. Furthermore, the overexpression of myomaker and myomixer also disrupts membrane integrity, resulting in muscle cell death. Collectively, this study identifies that the fiber-type-specific expression of fusogenic proteins is critical for preventing inappropriate fusion between slow and fast fibers in fish embryos, highlighting the need for precise regulation of fusogenic gene expression to maintain muscle fiber integrity and specificity.
Genes / Markers
Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping