Zhao, Hao, Nikolay B. Pestov, Tatyana V. Korneenko, Mikhail I. Shakhparonov, and Nikolai N. Modyanov. Accumulation of  m, a structural member of X,K-ATPase -subunit family, in nuclear envelopes of perinatal myocytes. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol 286: C757-C767, 2004. First published December 3, 2003 10.1152/ ajpcell.00358.2003.-Recently discovered muscle-specific  m protein is structurally closely related to the X,K-ATPase -subunits. However, it has a number of unique properties such as predominant localization in intracellular stores and lack of association with known X,K-ATPase ␣-subunits on heterologous coexpression. In this study, the primary structure of mouse  m was determined and developmental regulation of the gene (ATP1B4) was analyzed. The expression is first detected at day 14 of gestation, is sharply increased at day 16, and reaches its maximum at day 18. After birth, the expression quickly decreases and is hardly detectable in adult mice. A more detailed subcellular localization study was undertaken, and its results indicate that  m not only is located in sarcoplasmic reticulum but is concentrated in nuclear envelopes of both prenatal and postnatal skeletal muscles. Immunohistochemical studies show that  m is specific to myocytes and, at the subcellular level, many nuclear envelopes are intensively labeled in both fetal and newborn skeletal muscles. Accordingly,  m is detected by immunoblotting in purified nuclei and nuclear membranes from neonatal skeletal muscles. On transfection of human rhabdomyosarcoma cell line RD, green fluorescent proteintagged  m resides intracellularly with significant enrichment in nuclear envelopes, whereas  m with transmembrane domain deleted localizes in both cytoplasm and nucleoplasm. Nuclear  m apparently is not in association with Na,K-ATPase because we never detected its ␣-subunit in myonuclear membranes. These results indicate that  m has a specialized function in mammalian perinatal myocytes, different from functions of other X,K-ATPase -subunits. The unique temporospatial distribution of  m protein expression suggests its important role in development of growing skeletal muscle.ATP1B4; sodium, potassium-adenosine 5Ј-triphosphatase; nuclear membrane; skeletal muscle development AMONG MORE THAN 200 P-ATPases identified in prokaryotes and eukaryotes (1), most enzymes have just a single catalytic subunit. However, the animal X,K-ATPases (Na,K-ATPase, gastric H,K-ATPase, and nongastric H,K-ATPase) contain, in addition to the catalytic ␣-subunit, an accessory -subunit. Although major functions such as ATP binding, phosphorylation, and ion transport are performed by the ␣-subunit, the ␣- interaction is required for maturation, stability, and translocation of the ATPases to plasma membrane (4, 44). Moreover, the -subunit seems to be related to K transport, the unique feature of the X,K-ATPase family members (16, 45). The -subunit is involved in K affinity and cardiac glycoside sensitivity (25, 45). Different ␣-and -isoform combinations exhibit functiona...