Abstract
Aggregation and fusion of myoblasts to form myotubes is essential for myogenesis in many organisms. In Drosophila the formation of syncytial myotubes is seeded by founder myoblasts. Founders fuse with clusters of fusion-competent myoblasts. Here we identify the gene dumbfounded (duf) and show that it is required for myoblast aggregation and fusion. duf encodes a member of the immunoglobulin superfamily of proteins that is an attractant for fusion-competent myoblasts. It is expressed by founder cells and serves to attract clusters of myoblasts from which myotubes form by fusion.
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
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Amino Acid Sequence
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Animals
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Animals, Genetically Modified
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Base Sequence
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Cell Adhesion Molecules, Neuronal / classification
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Cell Aggregation
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Cell Fusion
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Chemotactic Factors / classification
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Chemotactic Factors / genetics
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Chemotactic Factors / metabolism*
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Chemotactic Factors / physiology
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DNA, Complementary
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Drosophila Proteins*
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Drosophila melanogaster / embryology
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Drosophila melanogaster / genetics
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Drosophila melanogaster / metabolism*
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Drosophila melanogaster / physiology
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Eye Proteins*
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Gene Expression
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Insect Proteins / classification
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Insect Proteins / genetics
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Insect Proteins / metabolism*
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Insect Proteins / physiology
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Membrane Proteins*
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Mesoderm / metabolism
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Molecular Sequence Data
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Muscle Proteins*
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Muscles / cytology
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Phenotype
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Rats
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Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
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Stem Cells / cytology
Substances
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Cell Adhesion Molecules, Neuronal
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Chemotactic Factors
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DNA, Complementary
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Drosophila Proteins
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Eye Proteins
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Insect Proteins
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Membrane Proteins
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Muscle Proteins
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kirre protein, Drosophila
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rst protein, Drosophila