Dynamics and ultrastructure of myoblast fusion and the involvement of the APC/CFzr

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Somatic muscles of all higher organisms arise during embryogenesis by the coordinated fusion of individual myoblasts into larger, syncytial muscle fibres. In vertebrates, thousands of single myoblasts contribute to the formation of one individual muscle. During a genetic screen for mutations affecting heart and muscle development in the embryo, we identified the APC/CFzr as a novel key player during myoblast fusion. Embryos mutant for fzr exhibit an arrest of myoblast fusion, and display a massive reduction of mature muscle fibres as well as an access of unfused myoblasts by the end of embryogenesis. In this proposal, we aim to identify and understand the mechanism of the APC/CFzr on the fusion process by applying state-of-the art light- and electron microscopy as well as proteomic approaches.