Evolution of the cadherin-catenin complex.
Adherens junctions are the most common junction type found in animal epithelia. Their core components are classical cadherins and catenins, which form membrane-spanning complexes that mediate intercellular binding on the extracellular side and associate with the actin cytoskeleton on the intracellular side. Junctional cadherin-catenin complexes are key elements involved in driving animal morphogenesis. Despite their ubiquity and importance, comparative studies of classical cadherins, catenins and their related molecules suggest that the cadherin/catenin-based adherens junctions have undergone structural and compositional transitions during the diversification of animal lineages. This chapter describes the molecular diversities related to the cadherin-catenin complex, based on accumulated molecular and genomic information. Understanding when and how the junctional cadherin-catenin complex originated, and its subsequent diversification in animals, promotes a comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms of animal morphological diversification.
JT Biohistory Research Hall, 1-1 Murasaki-cho, 569-1125, Takatsuki, Osaka, Japan, hoda@brh.co.jp.
Oda
O
Hiroki
D022005:Adherens Junctions / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D015820:Cadherins / Q000378:metabolism*; D051177:Catenins / Q000378:metabolism*; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D006801:Humans; D055503:Protein Multimerization
D015820:Cadherins; D051177:Catenins