| First Author | Janssens B | Year | 2001 |
| Journal | J Cell Sci | Volume | 114 |
| Issue | Pt 17 | Pages | 3177-88 |
| PubMed ID | 11590244 | Mgi Jnum | J:114000 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:3688010 | Doi | 10.1242/jcs.114.17.3177 |
| Citation | Janssens B, et al. (2001) alphaT-catenin: a novel tissue-specific beta-catenin-binding protein mediating strong cell-cell adhesion. J Cell Sci 114(Pt 17):3177-88 |
| abstractText | Cadherins are major cell-cell adhesion proteins whose cytoplasmic domains bind to catenin proteins. Strong intercellular adhesion depends on linkage of the cadherin/catenin complex to the actin cytoskeleton via alpha-catenin. To date, it is not clear how different cell types achieve the variable strength of cell-cell adhesion clearly needed in a multicellular organism. Here, we report the cloning and molecular characterization of alphaT(testis)-catenin, a novel human cDNA encoding a protein with homology to both human alphaE(epithelial)-catenin and alphaN(neural)-catenin. Although originally discovered in testis, alphaT-catenin is expressed in other tissues, the highest levels being observed in heart. Immunohistochemical analysis showed human alphaT-catenin localization at intercalated discs of cardiomyocytes and in peritubular myoid cells of testis. In cells transfected with alphaT-catenin cDNA, interaction with beta-catenin was demonstrated by co-immunoprecipitation. Transfection of alpha-catenin-deficient colon carcinoma cells recruited E-cadherin and beta-catenin to cell-cell contacts and functional cadherin-mediated cell-cell adhesion was restored in this way. Moreover, compaction of these cells was at least as prominent as in the case of cells expressing endogenous alphaE-catenin. We propose that alphaT-catenin is necessary for the formation of stretch-resistant cell-cell adhesion complexes, in particular, muscle cells. |
