S-S-lambda-shaped TRANS and CIS interactions of cadherins model based on fitting C-cadherin (1L3W) to 3D map of desmosomes obtained by electron tomography
1q5c is a 4 chain structure with sequence from Mus musculus. The March 2008 RCSB PDB Molecule of the Month feature on Cadherin by David S. Goodsell is 10.2210/rcsb_pdb/mom_2008_3. Full crystallographic information is available from OCA. For a guided tour on the structure components use FirstGlance.
Checkto colour the structure by Evolutionary Conservation, as determined by ConSurfDB. You may read the explanation of the method and the full data available from ConSurf.
Publication Abstract from PubMed
Cell adhesion by adherens junctions and desmosomes relies on interactions between cadherin molecules. However, the molecular interfaces that define molecular specificity and that mediate adhesion remain controversial. We used electron tomography of plastic sections from neonatal mouse skin to visualize the organization of desmosomes in situ. The resulting three-dimensional maps reveal individual cadherin molecules forming discrete groups and interacting through their tips. Fitting of an x-ray crystal structure for C-cadherin to these maps is consistent with a flexible intermolecular interface mediated by an exchange of amino-terminal tryptophans. This flexibility suggests a novel mechanism for generating both cis and trans interactions and for propagating these adhesive interactions along the junction.
Untangling desmosomal knots with electron tomography.,He W, Cowin P, Stokes DL Science. 2003 Oct 3;302(5642):109-13. PMID:14526082[1]
From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.
↑ He W, Cowin P, Stokes DL. Untangling desmosomal knots with electron tomography. Science. 2003 Oct 3;302(5642):109-13. PMID:14526082 doi:10.1126/science.1086957
