Cofilin Loss in Drosophila Muscles Contributes to Muscle Weakness through Defective Sarcomerogenesis during Muscle Growth.

Sarcomeres, the fundamental contractile units of muscles, are conserved structures composed of actin thin filaments and myosin thick filaments. How sarcomeres are formed and maintained is not well understood. Here, we show that knockdown of Drosophila cofilin (DmCFL), an actin depolymerizing factor, disrupts both sarcomere structure and muscle function.

Cell biology: Death brings new life to muscle.

Fusion of muscle cells called myoblasts underlies the generation and maintenance of skeletal muscle throughout an animal’s life. Emerging data indicate that cell death acts as a signal to enhance these processes in mammals.