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- Title
Monomeric α-catenin links cadherin to the actin cytoskeleton.
- Authors
Desai, Ridhdhi; Sarpal, Ritu; Ishiyama, Noboru; Pellikka, Milena; Ikura, Mitsuhiko; Tepass, Ulrich
- Abstract
The linkage of adherens junctions to the actin cytoskeleton is essential for cell adhesion. The contribution of the cadherin-catenin complex to the interaction between actin and the adherens junction remains an intensely investigated subject that centres on the function of α-catenin, which binds to cadherin through β-catenin and can bind F-actin directly or indirectly. Here, we delineate regions within Drosophila α-Catenin (α-Cat) that are important for adherens junction performance in static epithelia and dynamic morphogenetic processes. Moreover, we address whether persistent α-catenin-mediated physical linkage between cadherin and F-actin is crucial for cell adhesion and characterize the functions of α-catenin monomers and dimers at adherens junctions. Our data support the view that monomeric α-catenin acts as an essential physical linker between the cadherin-β-catenin complex and the actin cytoskeleton, whereas α-catenin dimers are cytoplasmic and form an equilibrium with monomeric junctional α-catenin.
- Subjects
ACTIN; CELL adhesion; ADHERENS junctions; CADHERINS; CATENINS; DROSOPHILA; MONOMERS; DIMERS
- Publication
Nature Cell Biology, 2013, Vol 15, Issue 3, p261
- ISSN
1465-7392
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1038/ncb2685