Myosin heavy chain-like localizes at cell contact sites during Drosophila myoblast fusion and interacts in vitro with Rolling pebbles 7.

Besides representing the sarcomeric thick filaments, myosins are involved in many cellular transport and motility processes. Myosin heavy chains are grouped into 18 classes. Here we show that in Drosophila, the unconventional group XVIII myosin heavy chain-like (Mhcl) is transcribed in the mesoderm of embryos, most prominently in founder cells (FCs).

Multinucleated smooth muscles and mononucleated as well as multinucleated striated muscles develop during establishment of the male reproductive organs of Drosophila melanogaster.

The adult musculature in D. melanogaster forms during metamorphosis. Much is known about the flight and leg musculature, but not about the muscles surrounding the male reproductive tract.

Drosophila Swiprosin-1/EFHD2 accumulates at the prefusion complex stage during Drosophila myoblast fusion.

In the Drosophila embryo, transient cell adhesion during myoblast fusion is known to lead to the formation of fusion-restricted myogenic-adhesive structures (FuRMASs). Here, we report that within these FuRMASs, a Drosophila homologue of human and mouse swiprosins (EF-hand-domain-containing proteins) is expressed, which we named Drosophila Swiprosin-1 (Drosophila Swip-1). Drosophila Swip-1 is highly conserved and is closely related to the calcium-binding proteins swiprosin-1 and swiprosin-2 that have a role in the immune system in humans and mice.