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Neural cell adhesion molecule: structure, immunoglobulin-like domains, cell surface modulation, and alternative RNA
Science (New York, N.Y.)
|May 15, 1987
Summary
Neural cell adhesion molecule (N-CAM) mediates cell binding and pattern development. Its function is regulated by cell surface modulation, not binding sequence changes, primarily through alternative RNA splicing.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Biology
- Cell Biology
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Neural cell adhesion molecule (N-CAM) is crucial for embryonic cell aggregation and tissue boundary formation.
- N-CAM mediates adhesion between neurons and muscle cells in differentiated tissues.
Purpose of the Study:
- To elucidate the molecular basis of N-CAM function by determining its amino acid and mRNA sequences.
- To understand how N-CAM activity is regulated during development.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of complementary DNA clones to determine N-CAM polypeptide and mRNA sequences.
- Verification using amino acid sequencing of peptide fragments.
Main Results:
- The extracellular region of N-CAM polypeptides share homologous immunoglobulin-like domains, suggesting a basis for homophilic binding.
- Identical extracellular sequences across N-CAM variants indicate binding specificity is conserved.
- Alternative RNA splicing generates N-CAM variants with different cytoplasmic domains, affecting cell surface interactions.
Conclusions:
- N-CAM binding specificity is invariant; regulation occurs via cell surface modulation.
- Alternative RNA splicing is a key mechanism controlling N-CAM activity and linking it to cellular processes.
- These regulatory mechanisms are vital for pattern development during embryogenesis.