title: Inhibition of cell adhesion by xARVCF indicates a regulatory function at the plasma membrane.
abstract: The cytoplasmic tail of cadherins is thought to regulate the strength and dynamics of cell-cell adhesion. Part of its regulatory activity has been attributed to a membrane-proximal region, the juxtamembrane domain (JMD), and its interaction with members of the p120 catenin subfamily. We show that titration of xARVCF, a member of this family, to the plasma membrane disrupts adhesion in the early embryo. Adhesion can be restored by coexpression of constitutively active Rac, suggesting that intracellular signaling is the primary cause in the loss of adhesion phenotype. Our observations suggest that the recruitment of p120 type catenins to the plasma membrane by the cadherin cytoplasmic tail may create protein complexes, which actively modulate the adhesion "status" of embryonic cells.
authors: Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, McGill University, Quebec, Canada.
authors: Wolfgang E
authors: WE
authors: Reintsch
authors: Craig A
authors: CA
authors: Mandato
authors: Pierre D
authors: PD
authors: McCrea
authors: François
authors: F
authors: Fagotto
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D051186:Armadillo Domain Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D015820:Cadherins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D051177:Catenins; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism*; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D047468:Immunoprecipitation; D008954:Models, Biological; D010750:Phosphoproteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D014981:Xenopus; D029867:Xenopus Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D051176:beta Catenin / Q000378:metabolism; D000095002:Delta Catenin
chemical_list: D051186:Armadillo Domain Proteins; C074260:CDH3 protein, Xenopus; D015820:Cadherins; D051177:Catenins; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D010750:Phosphoproteins; D029867:Xenopus Proteins; C485847:arvcf protein, Xenopus; D051176:beta Catenin; D000095002:Delta Catenin