Association of emerin with nuclear and cytoplasmic actin is regulated in differentiating myoblasts

Emerin is a nuclear envelope protein whose biological function remains to be elucidated. Mutations of emerin gene cause the Emery-Dreifuss muscular dystrophy, a neuromuscular disorder also linked to mutations of lamin A/C. In this paper, we analyze the interaction between emerin and actin in differentiating mouse myoblasts. We demonstrate that emerin and lamin A/C are bound to actin at the late stages of myotube differentiation and in mature muscle. The interaction involves both nuclear α and β actins and cytoplasmic actin. A serine–threonine phosphatase activity markedly increases emerin–actin binding even in cycling myoblasts. This effect is also observed with purified nuclear fractions in pull-down assay. On the other hand, active protein phosphatase 1, a serine–threonine phosphatase known to associate with lamin A/C, inhibits emerin–actin interaction in myotube extracts. These data provide evidence of a modulation of emerin–actin interaction in muscle cells, possibly through differentiation-related stimuli.