p120 catenin associates with kinesin and facilitates the transport of cadherin-catenin complexes to intercellular junctions.
p120 catenin (p120) is a component of adherens junctions and has been implicated in regulating cadherin-based cell adhesion as well as the activity of Rho small GTPases, but its exact roles in cell-cell adhesion are unclear. Using time-lapse imaging, we show that p120-GFP associates with vesicles and exhibits unidirectional movements along microtubules. Furthermore, p120 forms a complex with kinesin heavy chain through the p120 NH2-terminal head domain. Overexpression of p120, but not an NH2-terminal deletion mutant deficient in kinesin binding, recruits endogenous kinesin to N-cadherin. Disruption of the interaction between N-cadherin and p120, or the interaction between p120 and kinesin, leads to a delayed accumulation of N-cadherin at cell-cell contacts during calcium-initiated junction reassembly. Our analyses identify a novel role of p120 in promoting cell surface trafficking of cadherins via association and recruitment of kinesin.
Chen
Xinyu
X
Departments of Pathology and Dermatology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA.
Kojima
Shin-ichiro
S
Borisy
Gary G
GG
Green
Kathleen J
KJ
D022005:Adherens Junctions / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015820:Cadherins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D020013:Calcium Signaling / Q000235:genetics; D051177:Catenins; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000235:genetics*; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002460:Cell Line; D006801:Humans; D016547:Kinesins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D008870:Microtubules / Q000378:metabolism; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics; D010750:Phosphoproteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011485:Protein Binding / Q000235:genetics; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary / Q000235:genetics; D021381:Protein Transport / Q000235:genetics*; D022161:Transport Vesicles / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D000095002:Delta Catenin
D015820:Cadherins; D051177:Catenins; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D010750:Phosphoproteins; D016547:Kinesins; D000095002:Delta Catenin; C000722347:CTNND1 protein, human