Structural highlights
Function
[CTNA1_HUMAN] Associates with the cytoplasmic domain of a variety of cadherins. The association of catenins to cadherins produces a complex which is linked to the actin filament network, and which seems to be of primary importance for cadherins cell-adhesion properties. Can associate with both E- and N-cadherins. Originally believed to be a stable component of E-cadherin/catenin adhesion complexes and to mediate the linkage of cadherins to the actin cytoskeleton at adherens junctions. In contrast, cortical actin was found to be much more dynamic than E-cadherin/catenin complexes and CTNNA1 was shown not to bind to F-actin when assembled in the complex suggesting a different linkage between actin and adherens junctions components. The homodimeric form may regulate actin filament assembly and inhibit actin branching by competing with the Arp2/3 complex for binding to actin filaments. May play a crucial role in cell differentiation.
Evolutionary Conservation
Check, as determined by ConSurfDB. You may read the explanation of the method and the full data available from ConSurf.
Publication Abstract from PubMed
The cytoskeletal protein alpha-catenin, which shares structural similarity with vinculin, is required for cadherin-mediated cell adhesion, and functions to modulate cell adhesive strength and to link the cadherins to the actin-based cytoskeleton. Here we describe the crystal structure of a region of alpha-catenin (residues 377-633) termed the M-fragment. The M-fragment is composed of a tandem repeat of two antiparallel four-helix bundles of virtually identical architectures that are related in structure to the dimerization domain of alpha-catenin and the tail region of vinculin. These results suggest that alpha-catenin is composed of repeating antiparallel helical domains. The region of alpha-catenin previously defined as an adhesion modulation domain corresponds to the C-terminal four-helix bundle of the M-fragment, and in the crystal lattice these domains exist as dimers. Evidence for dimerization of the M-fragment of alpha-catenin in solution was detected by chemical cross-linking experiments. The tendency of the adhesion modulation domain to form dimers may explain its biological activity of promoting cell-cell adhesiveness by inducing lateral dimerization of the associated cadherin molecule.
Crystal structure of the M-fragment of alpha-catenin: implications for modulation of cell adhesion.,Yang J, Dokurno P, Tonks NK, Barford D EMBO J. 2001 Jul 16;20(14):3645-56. PMID:11447106[1]
From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.
See Also
References
- ↑ Yang J, Dokurno P, Tonks NK, Barford D. Crystal structure of the M-fragment of alpha-catenin: implications for modulation of cell adhesion. EMBO J. 2001 Jul 16;20(14):3645-56. PMID:11447106 doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/emboj/20.14.3645
