title: Casein kinase II phosphorylation of E-cadherin increases E-cadherin/beta-catenin interaction and strengthens cell-cell adhesion.
abstract: Beta-catenin, a member of the Armadillo repeat protein family, binds directly to the cytoplasmic domain of E-cadherin, linking it via alpha-catenin to the actin cytoskeleton. A 30-amino acid region within the cytoplasmic domain of E-cadherin, conserved among all classical cadherins, has been shown to be essential for beta-catenin binding. This region harbors several putative casein kinase II (CKII) and glycogen synthase kinase-3beta (GSK-3beta) phosphorylation sites and is highly phosphorylated. Here we report that in vitro this region is indeed phosphorylated by CKII and GSK-3beta, which results in an increased binding of beta-catenin to E-cadherin. Additionally, in mouse NIH3T3 fibroblasts expression of E-cadherin with mutations in putative CKII sites resulted in reduced cell-cell contacts. Thus, phosphorylation of the E-cadherin cytoplasmic domain by CKII and GSK-3beta appears to modulate the affinity between beta-catenin and E-cadherin, ultimately modifying the strength of cell-cell adhesion.
authors.affiliation: Max-Planck Institute of Immunobiology, Department of Molecular Embryology, Stübeweg 51, D-79108 Freiburg, Germany.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lickert
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bauer
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kemler
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Stappert
mesh_terms: D016475:3T3 Cells; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D015820:Cadherins / Q000378:metabolism*; D017871:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D047390:Casein Kinase II; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D017931:DNA Primers; D038362:Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3; D038341:Glycogen Synthase Kinases; D051379:Mice; D016297:Mutagenesis, Site-Directed; D010766:Phosphorylation; D011485:Protein Binding; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D015534:Trans-Activators; D051176:beta Catenin
chemical_list: C495267:CTNNB1 protein, mouse; D015820:Cadherins; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; D017931:DNA Primers; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D015534:Trans-Activators; D051176:beta Catenin; D038341:Glycogen Synthase Kinases; D047390:Casein Kinase II; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D017871:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases; D038362:Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3