A structural constituent of muscle. Involved in muscle contraction and pharyngeal pumping. Located in striated muscle myosin thick filament. Expressed in pharynx. Human ortholog(s) of this gene implicated in several diseases, including contractures, pterygia, and spondylocarpotarsal fusion syndrome 1A; distal myopathy 1; and intrinsic cardiomyopathy (multiple). Is an ortholog of several human genes including MYH1 (myosin heavy chain 1); MYH2 (myosin heavy chain 2); and MYH3 (myosin heavy chain 3).