title: Evolution: structural and functional diversity of cadherin at the adherens junction.
abstract: Adhesion between cells is essential to the evolution of multicellularity. Indeed, morphogenesis in animals requires firm but flexible intercellular adhesions that are mediated by subcellular structures like the adherens junction (AJ). A key component of AJs is classical cadherins, a group of transmembrane proteins that maintain dynamic cell-cell associations in many animal species. An evolutionary reconstruction of cadherin structure and function provides a comprehensive framework with which to appreciate the diversity of morphogenetic mechanisms in animals.
authors.affiliation: JT Biohistory Research Hall, Takatsuki, Osaka 569-1125, Japan. hoda@brh.co.jp
authors.forename: Hiroki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Oda
authors.forename: Masatoshi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takeichi
mesh_terms: D022005:Adherens Junctions / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D015820:Cadherins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology*; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000502:physiology*; D004330:Drosophila / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian / Q000378:metabolism; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D051379:Mice; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship
chemical_list: D015820:Cadherins; D029721:Drosophila Proteins