1h6g
alpha-catenin M-domain
Structural highlights
Evolutionary Conservation Check, as determined by ConSurfDB. You may read the explanation of the method and the full data available from ConSurf. Publication Abstract from PubMedThe cytoskeletal protein alpha-catenin, which shares structural similarity with vinculin, is required for cadherin-mediated cell adhesion, and functions to modulate cell adhesive strength and to link the cadherins to the actin-based cytoskeleton. Here we describe the crystal structure of a region of alpha-catenin (residues 377-633) termed the M-fragment. The M-fragment is composed of a tandem repeat of two antiparallel four-helix bundles of virtually identical architectures that are related in structure to the dimerization domain of alpha-catenin and the tail region of vinculin. These results suggest that alpha-catenin is composed of repeating antiparallel helical domains. The region of alpha-catenin previously defined as an adhesion modulation domain corresponds to the C-terminal four-helix bundle of the M-fragment, and in the crystal lattice these domains exist as dimers. Evidence for dimerization of the M-fragment of alpha-catenin in solution was detected by chemical cross-linking experiments. The tendency of the adhesion modulation domain to form dimers may explain its biological activity of promoting cell-cell adhesiveness by inducing lateral dimerization of the associated cadherin molecule. Crystal structure of the M-fragment of alpha-catenin: implications for modulation of cell adhesion.,Yang J, Dokurno P, Tonks NK, Barford D EMBO J. 2001 Jul 16;20(14):3645-56. PMID:11447106[1] From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine. See AlsoReferences
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