Taxol induces postmitotic myoblasts to assemble interdigitating microtubule-myosin arrays that exclude actin filaments.

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Abstract
The effects of taxol on myogenic cultures from chick embryos are described. It blocks cell replication of presumptive myoblasts and fibroblasts. It induces the aggregation of microtubules into sheets or massive cables in presumptive myoblasts and fibroblasts, but not in postmitotic, mononucleated myoblasts. It induces normally elongated postmitotic myoblasts to form stubby, star-shaped cells. It reversibly blocks the fusion of the star-shaped myoblasts into multinucleated myotubes. It augments the number of microtubules in postmitotic myoblasts. These are assembled into interdigitating arrays of microtubules and myosin filaments. Actin filaments are largely excluded from these interdigitating microtubule-myosin complexes. The myosin filaments in the interdigitating microtubule-myosin arrays are aligned laterally, forming A-bands .apprx. 1.5 .mu.m long.