Control of myoblast fusion by a guanine nucleotide exchange factor, loner, and its effector ARF6.

Myoblast fusion is essential for the formation and regeneration of skeletal muscle. In a genetic screen for regulators of muscle development in Drosophila, we discovered a gene encoding a guanine nucleotide exchange factor, called loner, which is required for myoblast fusion. Loner localizes to subcellular sites of fusion and acts downstream of cell surface fusion receptors by recruiting the small GTPase ARF6 and stimulating guanine nucleotide exchange.