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Related Concept Videos

Desmosomes01:05

Desmosomes

The term desmosome derives from the Greek words "desmo" and "soma" meaning "adhesion bodies." This structure was first observed during the late 1800s and described as small, dense nodules in the epidermis. Desmosomes are button-like structures that help form an interlinked network of intermediate filaments across the cells. These junctions are  essential to hold cells together under mechanical stress and to maintain tissue integrity. Desmosomes are multi-protein complexes comprising desmosomal...
Anchoring Junctions01:03

Anchoring Junctions

Anchoring junctions are multiprotein complexes that help cells connect to other cells and the extracellular matrix. Anchoring junctions are present on the lateral and basal surfaces of cells, providing strong and flexible connections. Focal adhesions are often formed due to cell interactions with the ECM substrata, which initiate signal transduction via kinase cascades and other mechanisms. Together, they provide stability and tissue integrity. There are three types of anchoring junctions:...
Structure of Cadherins01:25

Structure of Cadherins

The cadherins were one of the first cell adhesion molecules discovered; the term “cadherins”   is based on their calcium-dependent adhering properties. The first cadherins discovered on the epithelial, neuronal, and placental cells were named E-cadherin, P-cadherin, and N-cadherin, respectively. These classical cadherins share sequence and structural similarities. Other cadherins, including those involved in cell signaling, are grouped into non-classical cadherins. This diversity of cadherins...
Mechanisms of Membrane Domain Formation00:59

Mechanisms of Membrane Domain Formation

Different physical properties of lipids and proteins allow them to localize and form distinct islands or domains in the membrane. Some membrane domains are formed due to protein-protein interactions, whereas others are formed due to the presence of specific lipids such as sphingolipids and sterols—for example, large proteins, such as bacteriorhodopsin, aggregate and create distinct domains.
Another mechanism for membrane domain formation involves membrane proteins interacting with cytoskeletal...
Cadherins in Tissue Organization01:19

Cadherins in Tissue Organization

The cadherins are a superfamily of cell adhesion molecules comprising over 180 variants, with specific tissues expressing a particular combination of cadherin types. Cadherins generally exhibit homophilic binding; i.e., cadherins on one cell bind to cadherins of the same or closely related type on another cell. Thus, cells of the same type have a specific affinity to bind to each other and sort themselves into clusters to form tissues.
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Studying the Cytoskeleton01:17

Studying the Cytoskeleton

The cytoskeletal architecture can be studied using different microscopic and biochemical techniques. Electron microscopy was instrumental in discovering the cytoskeletal architecture around the 1960s, which allowed obtaining structural information at a high-resolution level. However, the sample preparation procedure often limits this ability in biological samples. Several protocols have been developed over the years to optimize sample preparation. In one of the protocols known as rotary...

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Measuring Interactions of Globular and Filamentous Proteins by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (NMR) and Microscale Thermophoresis (MST)
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Structural studies on desmosomes.

Ashraf Al-Amoudi1, Achilleas S Frangakis

  • 1European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Meyerhofstrasse 1, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany. alamoudi@embl.de

Biochemical Society Transactions
|March 28, 2008
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Desmosomes provide tissue stability through cadherin interactions. Structural studies reveal N-terminal Trp(2) binding is key to desmosomal cadherin adhesion, crucial for tissue development and repair.

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Area of Science:

  • Cell biology
  • Structural biology
  • Biophysics

Background:

  • Desmosomes are crucial cadherin-based cell junctions providing mechanical stability to tissues like epithelia and cardiac muscle.
  • Desmosomal cadherins mediate cell-cell adhesion and link to the cytoskeleton, influencing tissue morphogenesis, development, and wound healing.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To elucidate the binding mechanism of adhesive interfaces between desmosomal cadherin extracellular domains.
  • To understand the structural basis of cell adhesion mediated by desmosomal cadherins.

Main Methods:

  • X-ray crystallography of isolated cadherin extracellular domains.
  • Biochemical and cell-adhesion assays.
  • Mutagenesis studies.
  • Electron tomography of epidermal desmosomes.
  • Integrative structural approaches (X-ray crystallography, cryo-electron tomography, immuno-electron microscopy).
  • Live-cell imaging of cultured keratinocytes.

Main Results:

  • X-ray crystallography demonstrated mutual binding of the conserved N-terminal Trp(2) residue between opposing cadherin molecules.
  • Biochemical and mutagenesis data identified this N-terminal interface as the primary adhesive site.
  • Electron tomography supported N-terminal tip interactions in epidermal desmosomes.

Conclusions:

  • The N-terminal Trp(2) residue interaction is the primary adhesive mechanism for desmosomal cadherins.
  • Integrative structural and live-cell imaging approaches are essential for a complete understanding of desmosome architecture and dynamics.