Nebulette (NEBL)

Nebulette is an isoform of the protein nebulin. While nebulin (600-900 kDa) is expressed preferentially in skeletal muscle, nebulette (107 kDa) is expressed in cardiac muscle.Nebulette was identified in 1995 by Moncman and Wang using primary cultures of chicken embryonic cardiomyocytes by immunoprecipitations with certain anti-nebulin monoclonal antibodies. Normal expression of nebulette is essential for the assembly and contractile function of myofibrils.Abundantly expressed in cardiac muscle, but not in skeletal or smooth muscle. Localized to Z-lines in cardiac cells and to dense bodies in nonmuscle cells. Binds to actin and plays an important role in the assembly of the Z-disk.