title: Mammalian formin-1 participates in adherens junctions and polymerization of linear actin cables.
abstract: During epithelial sheet formation, linear actin cables assemble at nascent adherens junctions. This process requires alpha-catenin and actin polymerization, although the underlying mechanism is poorly understood. Here, we show that formin-1 interacts with alpha-catenin, localizes to adherens junctions and nucleates unbranched actin filaments. Furthermore, disruption of the alpha-catenin-formin-1 interaction blocks assembly of radial actin cables and perturbs intercellular adhesion. A fusion protein of the beta-catenin-binding domain of alpha-catenin with the actin polymerization domains of formin-1 rescues formation of adherens junctions and associated actin cables in alpha-catenin-null keratinocytes. These findings provide new insight into how alpha-catenin orchestrates actin dynamics during intercellular junction formation.
authors.affiliation: Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Laboratory of Mammalian Cell Biology and Development, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, Box 300, New York, NY 10021-6399, USA.
authors.forename: Agnieszka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kobielak
authors.forename: H Amalia
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Pasolli
authors.forename: Elaine
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fuchs
mesh_terms: D008841:Actin Cytoskeleton / Q000378:metabolism*; D000199:Actins / Q000378:metabolism*; D022005:Adherens Junctions / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000502:physiology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005326:Fetal Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D000080865:Formins; D015603:Keratinocytes; D051379:Mice; D008840:Microfilament Proteins; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D011108:Polymers / Q000378:metabolism; D011485:Protein Binding / Q000502:physiology; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary / Q000502:physiology; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000378:metabolism; D051178:alpha Catenin; D051176:beta Catenin
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; C495267:CTNNB1 protein, mouse; C495272:Ctnna1 protein, mouse; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; D005326:Fetal Proteins; D000080865:Formins; D008840:Microfilament Proteins; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D011108:Polymers; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D015534:Trans-Activators; D051178:alpha Catenin; D051176:beta Catenin