Genetic dissection of novel myopathy models reveals a role of CapZα and Leiomodin 3 during myofibril elongation.

Myofibrils within skeletal muscle are composed of sarcomeres that generate force by contraction when their myosin-rich thick filaments slide past actin-based thin filaments. Although mutations in components of the sarcomere are a major cause of human disease, the highly complex process of sarcomere assembly is not fully understood. Current models of thin filament assembly highlight a central role for filament capping proteins, which can be divided into three protein families, each ascribed with separate roles in thin filament assembly.

The sarcoglycan complex in skeletal muscle.

In skeletal muscle, the dystrophin-associated glycoprotein complex forms a link between the actin cytoskeleton and the extracellular matrix that is critical for muscle integrity. Within this complex resides the sarcoglycan subcomplex, which consists of four transmembrane glycoproteins (alpha-, beta-, gamma-, and delta-sarcoglycan). During assembly, beta-sarcoglycan tightly associates with delta-sarcoglycan to form a functional core that then recruits gamma- and alpha-sarcoglycan to form the sarcoglycan complex.

Loss of Tropomodulin4 in the zebrafish mutant träge causes cytoplasmic rod formation and muscle weakness reminiscent of nemaline myopathy.

Nemaline myopathy is an inherited muscle disease that is mainly diagnosed by the presence of nemaline rods in muscle biopsies. Of the nine genes associated with the disease, five encode components of striated muscle sarcomeres. In a genetic zebrafish screen, the mutant träge (trg) was isolated based on its reduction in muscle birefringence, indicating muscle damage.