title: Assembly of the N-cadherin complex during synapse formation involves uncoupling of p120-catenin and association with presenilin 1.
abstract: N-cadherin is an adhesion receptor that participates in both interaction between immature pre- and postsynaptic neurons and in the stabilization and function of matured neuron-neuron synapses. To better understand how the N-cadherin complex contributes to synapse formation, we examined its distribution and composition during synapse formation in the chick ciliary neurons. It was found that at early phases of synaptogenesis, N-cadherin is distributed in small clusters on the cell surface and primarily associates with p120-catenin and 3-catenin. In contrast, as synaptic contacts matured, larger N-cadherin clusters were found localized adjacent to the active zone and associated with PSI and y-catenin, while p120- and 3-catenin were dispersed among other cell regions, including axons. As it is known that PSI binds y-catenin and that uncoupled p120-catenin can alter the cytoskeleton via its effect on Rho GTPases, these changes in the molecular composition of the N-cadherin complex (represented by the uncoupling of p120-catenin and association with PS1) may correspond to distinct functional states of the complex involved in synaptic maturation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Neurobiology, the University of Connecticut, Storrs 06269, USA.
authors.forename: Maria E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Rubio
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Curcio
authors.forename: Norbert
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Chauvet
authors.forename: Juan L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Brusés
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000196:embryology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D016466:CHO Cells; D015820:Cadherins / Q000378:metabolism*; D051177:Catenins; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000502:physiology; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000378:metabolism*; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology*; D002642:Chick Embryo; D006224:Cricetinae; D046911:Macromolecular Substances / Q000378:metabolism; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D010750:Phosphoproteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D053764:Presenilin-1; D011485:Protein Binding / Q000502:physiology; D013569:Synapses / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013570:Synaptic Membranes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D051185:gamma Catenin / Q000378:metabolism; D000095002:Delta Catenin
chemical_list: D015820:Cadherins; D051177:Catenins; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D010750:Phosphoproteins; D053764:Presenilin-1; D051185:gamma Catenin; D000095002:Delta Catenin