title: New insights into vinculin function and regulation.
abstract: Vinculin is a cytoplasmic actin-binding protein enriched in focal adhesions and adherens junctions that is essential for embryonic development. Much is now known regarding the role of vinculin in governing cell-matrix adhesion. In the past decade that the crystal structure of vinculin and the molecular details for how vinculin regulates adhesion events have emerged. The recent data suggests a critical function for vinculin in regulating integrin clustering, force generation, and strength of adhesion. In addition to an important role in cell-matrix adhesion, vinculin is also emerging as a regulator of apoptosis, Shigella entry into host cells, and cadherin-based cell-cell adhesion. A close inspection of this work reveals that there are similarities between vinculin's role in focal adhesions and these processes and also some intriguing differences.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, University of Iowa Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, Iowa, USA.
authors.forename: Xiao
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.forename: Elke S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Nelson
authors.forename: Jessica L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Maiers
authors.forename: Kris A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: DeMali
mesh_terms: D051376:Actin-Related Protein 2-3 Complex / Q000378:metabolism; D000199:Actins / Q000378:metabolism; D022005:Adherens Junctions / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology; D015820:Cadherins / Q000378:metabolism; D009202:Cardiomyopathies / Q000378:metabolism; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000502:physiology; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000502:physiology; D003599:Cytoskeleton / Q000378:metabolism; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000378:metabolism; D022001:Focal Adhesions / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D016023:Integrins / Q000378:metabolism; D008958:Models, Molecular; D011487:Protein Conformation; D016608:Talin / Q000378:metabolism; D016596:Vinculin / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D051376:Actin-Related Protein 2-3 Complex; D000199:Actins; D015820:Cadherins; D016023:Integrins; D016608:Talin; D016596:Vinculin