Required for myofilament organization of the pharyngeal sarcomeres and for pharyngeal muscle contractions and hence for pharyngeal pumping (PubMed:21633109). Together with lin-8, might be required for myofilament organization in the body wall muscles (PubMed:21633109). Colocalizes with pat-3 to dense bodies, adhesion plaques and M lines in body wall muscles. Colocalizes with deb-1 in podosome-like structures in the pharyngeal muscle. Requires unc-95 for the localization to dense bodies. Isoform a: Expressed in all 95 body wall muscle cells as well as in the pharyngeal muscle cells (at protein level). Isoform c: Expressed in the body wall muscle cells and in the pharyngeal muscle cells. Expressed in adult animals. LIM zinc-binding domains 1-4 are sufficient for the localization to dense bodies, adhesion plaques and M lines in body wall muscles. RNAi-mediated knockdown leads to developmental arrest at larval stage L1. Belongs to the paxillin family.