AUTHOR=Hsu I-Uen , Linsley Jeremy W. , Reid Lilly E. , Hume Richard I. , Leflein Ari , Kuwada John Y. 

TITLE=Dstac Regulates Excitation-Contraction Coupling in Drosophila Body Wall Muscles

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Physiology

VOLUME=11

YEAR=2020

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/physiology/articles/10.3389/fphys.2020.573723

DOI=10.3389/fphys.2020.573723

ISSN=1664-042X

ABSTRACT=<p>Stac3 regulates excitation-contraction coupling (EC coupling) in vertebrate skeletal muscles by regulating the L-type voltage-gated calcium channel (Ca<sub>v</sub> channel). Recently a <italic>stac</italic>-like gene, <italic>Dstac</italic>, was identified in <italic>Drosophila</italic> and found to be expressed by both a subset of neurons and muscles. Here, we show that Dstac and Dmca1D, the <italic>Drosophila</italic> L-type Ca<sub>v</sub> channel, are necessary for normal locomotion by larvae. Immunolabeling with specific antibodies against Dstac and Dmca1D found that Dstac and Dmca1D are expressed by larval body-wall muscles. Furthermore, Ca<sup>2+</sup> imaging of muscles of Dstac and Dmca1D deficient larvae found that Dstac and Dmca1D are required for excitation-contraction coupling. Finally, Dstac appears to be required for normal expression levels of Dmca1D in body-wall muscles. These results suggest that Dstac regulates Dmca1D during EC coupling and thus muscle contraction.</p>