title: Alpha-E-catenin binds to dynamitin and regulates dynactin-mediated intracellular traffic.
abstract: Alpha-epithelial catenin (E-catenin) is an important cell-cell adhesion protein. In this study, we show that alpha-E-catenin also regulates intracellular traffic by binding to the dynactin complex component dynamitin. Dynactin-mediated organelle trafficking is increased in alpha-E-catenin(-/-) keratinocytes, an effect that is reversed by expression of exogenous alpha-E-catenin. Disruption of adherens junctions in low-calcium media does not affect dynactin-mediated traffic, indicating that alpha-E-catenin regulates traffic independently from its function in cell-cell adhesion. Although neither the integrity of dynactin-dynein complexes nor their association with vesicles is affected by alpha-E-catenin, alpha-E-catenin is necessary for the attenuation of microtubule-dependent trafficking by the actin cytoskeleton. Because the actin-binding domain of alpha-E-catenin is necessary for this regulation, we hypothesize that alpha-E-catenin functions as a dynamic link between the dynactin complex and actin and, thus, integrates the microtubule and actin cytoskeleton during intracellular trafficking.
authors.affiliation: Division of Human Biology, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA.
authors.forename: Wen-Hui
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Lien
authors.forename: Vladimir I
authors.initials: VI
authors.lastname: Gelfand
authors.forename: Valeri
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Vasioukhin
mesh_terms: D000199:Actins / Q000378:metabolism; D022005:Adherens Junctions / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D002460:Cell Line; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism; D003599:Cytoskeleton / Q000378:metabolism; D000072159:Dynactin Complex; D006801:Humans; D042541:Intracellular Space / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D008870:Microtubules / Q000378:metabolism; D015388:Organelles / Q000378:metabolism; D011485:Protein Binding; D021381:Protein Transport; D051178:alpha Catenin / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; C000606361:DCTN2 protein, human; C000606365:Dctn2 protein, mouse; D000072159:Dynactin Complex; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins; D051178:alpha Catenin