title: Dissecting subsecond cadherin bound states reveals an efficient way for cells to achieve ultrafast probing of their environment.
abstract: Cells continuously probe their environment with membrane receptors, achieving subsecond adaptation of their behaviour [Diez, G., Gerisch, G., Anderson, K., Müller-Taubenberger, A. and Bretschneider, T. (2006) Subsecond reorganization of the actin network in cell motility and chemotaxis. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 102, 7601-7606, Shamri, R., Grabovsky, V., Gauguet, J.M., Feigelson, S., Manevich, E., Kolanus, W., Robinson, M.K., Staunton, D.E., von Andrian, U.H. and Alon, R. (2005) Lymphocyte arrest requires instantaneous induction of an extended LFA-1 conformation mediated by endothelium-bound chemokines. Nat. Immunol. 6, 497-606, Jiang, G., Huang, A.H., Cai, Y., Tanase, M. and Sheetz, M.P. (2006) Rigidity sensing at the leading edge through alpha(V)beta(3) integrins and RPTPalpha. Biophys. J. 90, 1804-2006]. Recently, several receptors, including cadherins, were found to bind ligands with a lifetime of order of one second. Here we show at the single molecule level that homotypic C-cadherin association involves transient intermediates lasting less than a few tens of milliseconds. Further, these intermediates transitionned towards more stable states with a kinetic rate displaying exponential decrease with piconewton forces. These features enable cells to detect ligands or measure surrounding mechanical behaviour within a fraction of a second, much more rapidly than was previously thought.
authors: INSERM U600, Marseille, F-13009, France.
authors: Anne
authors: A
authors: Pierres
authors: Anil
authors: A
authors: Prakasam
authors: Dominique
authors: D
authors: Touchard
authors: Anne-Marie
authors: AM
authors: Benoliel
authors: Pierre
authors: P
authors: Bongrand
authors: Deborah
authors: D
authors: Leckband
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015820:Cadherins / Q000378:metabolism*; D002450:Cell Communication / Q000502:physiology*; D004777:Environment; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D011485:Protein Binding; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D015820:Cadherins