De novo myofibrillogenesis in C2C12 cells:: evidence for the independent assembly of M bands and Z disks

We studied the distribution of the giant sarcomeric protein obscurin during de novo myofibrillogenesis in C2C12 myotubes to learn when it is integrated into developing sarcomeres. Obscurin becomes organized first at the developing M band and later at the mature Z disk. Primordial M bands consisting of obscurin, myomesin, and M band epitopes of titin assemble before adult fast-twitch sarcomeric myosin is organized periodically and nearly concurrently with primitive Z disks, which are composed of alpha-actinin and Z disk epitopes of titin. Z disks and M bands can assemble independently at spatially distant sites. As sarcomerogenesis proceeds, these structures interdigitate to produce a more mature organization. Fast-twitch muscle myosin accumulates in the myoplasm and assembles into A bands only after Z disks and M bands assume their typical interdigitated striations. The periodicities of M bands remain constant at similar to 1.8 mu m throughout sarcomerogenesis, whereas distances between Z disks increase from similar to 1.1 mu m in early sarcomeres to similar to 1.8 mu m in more mature structures. Our findings indicate for the first time that primitive M bands self-assemble independently of Z disks, that obscurin is a component of these primitive M bands in skeletal muscle cells, and that A bands assemble only after M bands and Z disks integrate into maturing sarcomeres.