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| The roles of maternal alpha-catenin and plakoglobin in the early Xenopus embryo |
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| Author(s): Kofron M, Spagnuolo A, Klymkowsky M, Wylie C, Heasman J |
| Source: DEVELOPMENT Volume: 124 Issue: 8 Pages: 1553-1560 Published: APR 1997 |
| Times Cited: 49 References: 40 |
| Abstract: Catenins (alpha-, beta- and gamma- or plakoglobin) are cytoplasmic cadherin-associated proteins. Studies on cultured cells have suggested that both alpha-catenin and plakoglobin are important for the adhesive function of cadherins. alpha-catenin binds to both beta-catenin and plakoglobin and may link the cadherin/catenin complex to actin filaments. Separate domains of plakoglobin bind to cadherin and alpha-catenin, suggesting it mag act as a bridge between these molecules. However, plakoglobin may have other activities: it is expressed in both desmosomal junctions in association with desmogleins and the cytoplasm in conjunction with APC, and previous work suggests it mag act in a dorsal signalling pathway when overexpressed in Xenopus embryos. Here, we have studied the roles of alpha-catenin and plakoglobin directly, by depleting the maternal mRNAs coding for each of them in developing Xenopus embryos. We find that depletion of maternal alpha-catenin causes the loss of intercellular adhesion at the blastula stage, similar to that reported previously for EP cadherin. Depletion of plakoglobin results in a partial loss of adhesion, and a loss of embryonic shape, but does not affect dorsal signalling. |
| Document Type: Article |
| Language: English |
Addresses:
1. UNIV MINNESOTA, SCH MED, DEPT PEDIAT, INST HUMAN GENET, MINNEAPOLIS, MN 55455 USA
2. UNIV MINNESOTA, SCH MED, DEPT CELL BIOL & NEUROANAT, INST HUMAN GENET, MINNEAPOLIS, MN 55455 USA
3. UNIV COLORADO, BOULDER, CO 80309 USA |
| Publisher: COMPANY OF BIOLOGISTS LTD, BIDDER BUILDING CAMBRIDGE COMMERCIAL PARK COWLEY RD, CAMBRIDGE, CAMBS, ENGLAND CB4 4DL |
| Subject Category: Developmental Biology |
| IDS Number: WZ580 |
| ISSN: 0950-1991 |
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