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Updated: Jun 1, 2026

Reconstitution Of β-catenin Degradation In Xenopus Egg Extract
Published on: June 17, 2014
Alpha T-catenin (CTNNA3): a gene in the hand is worth two in the nest
James D Smith1, Maria H Meehan, John Crean
1UCD Conway Institute of Biomolecular and Biomedical Research, University College Dublin (UCD), Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland.
Abstract:
Alpha-T-Catenin (CTNNA3) is a key protein of the adherens junctional complex in epithelial cells playing a crucial role in cellular adherence. What makes this gene particularly interesting is that it is located within a common fragile site, is epigenetically regulated, is transcribed through multiple promoters, and generates a variety of alternate transcripts. Finally, CTNNA3 has a nested gene (LRTMM3) embedded within its genomic context transcribed in the opposite direction. Apart from the complexity of its regulation, alterations in both CTNNA3 and LRTMM3 are implicated in human disease.
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