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Truncated isoform of mouse αT‐catenin is testis‐restricted in expression and function
Author(s) -
Goossens Steven,
Janssens Barbara,
Vanpoucke Griet,
De Rycke Riet,
Hengel Jolanda,
Roy Frans
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fj.06-6066com
Subject(s) - catenin , gene isoform , cell adhesion , biology , cadherin , cell adhesion molecule , microbiology and biotechnology , beta catenin , alternative splicing , nectin , cell , wnt signaling pathway , gene , signal transduction , genetics
αT‐Catenin is a recently identified member of the α‐catenin family of cell‐cell adhesion molecules. For decades it was thought that α‐catenins mediate solid cell‐cell adhesion by linking the cadherin‐mediated cell‐cell adhesion complex with the actin cytoskeleton. However’ the roles of α‐catenins in this classical adhesion model have been questioned recently. αT‐Catenin has a restricted expression pattern’ in contrast to the ubiquitously expressed αE‐catenin. High levels of αT‐catenin were detected in heart and testis. Northern and Western blot experiments indicated that besides the standard full‐length αT‐catenin transcript, smaller alternative transcripts are expressed in testis. We report the cloning of two alternative transcripts of the mouse αT‐catenin gene (transcript‐B and ‐X)’ both of which are expressed in a testis‐restricted manner from two putative alternative promoters. Alternative transcript‐X encodes a smaller protein, isoform‐X, which lacks the amino‐terminal ß‐catenin binding domain of the standard mouse αT‐catenin protein, and is therefore unable to restore cell‐cell adhesion in an α‐catenin‐negative colon carcinoma cell line. Immunohistochemical analysis showed specific localization of the αT‐catenin isoform‐X in the differentiating germ cells. In contrast to the standard full‐length αT‐catenin protein’ this shortened iso‐form‐X can bind to l‐afadin’ an important component of the nectin/afadin/ponsin adhesion complex that reportedly is essential for spermatogenesis.—Goossens, S., Janssens, B., Vanpoucke, G., De Rycke, R., van Hengel, J., van Roy, F. Truncated isoform of mouse α T‐catenin is testis‐restricted in expression and function. FASEB J. 21, 647–655 (2007)