Nuclear positions crucial in muscles

摘要

The cells in skeletal muscle contain many nuclei, positioned at regular intervals along the muscle fibre. Improperly positioned nuclei are a hallmark of numerous muscle diseases. Thomas Metzger et al. identify the microtubule-associated protein ensconsin (Ens)/MAP7 and kinesin heavy chain/KiSb as evolutionarily conserved regulators of myonuclear positioning in Drosophila and in cultured mammalian myotubes. Drosophila larvae with mutant ens display decreased locomotion and incorrect myonuclear positioning, and these phenotypes are rescued by muscle-specific expression of Ens.