A two-tiered mechanism for stabilization and immobilization of E-cadherin

Matthieu Cavey, Matteo Rauzi, Pierre-François Lenne () and Thomas Lecuit ()
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Matthieu Cavey: Institut de Biologie du Développment de Marseille Luminy, UMR 6216 CNRS-Université de la Méditerranée, Campus de Luminy case 907
Matteo Rauzi: Institut de Biologie du Développment de Marseille Luminy, UMR 6216 CNRS-Université de la Méditerranée, Campus de Luminy case 907
Pierre-François Lenne: Institut Fresnel, UMR 6133 CNRS-Université Paul Cézanne Aix-Marseille III, Domaine Universitaire de Saint Jérôme
Thomas Lecuit: Institut de Biologie du Développment de Marseille Luminy, UMR 6216 CNRS-Université de la Méditerranée, Campus de Luminy case 907

Nature, 2008, vol. 453, issue 7196, 751-756

Abstract: Abstract Epithelial tissues maintain a robust architecture which is important for their barrier function, but they are also remodelled through the reorganization of cell–cell contacts. Tissue stability requires intercellular adhesion mediated by E-cadherin, in particular its trans-association in homophilic complexes supported by actin filaments through β- and α-catenin. How α-catenin dynamic interactions between E-cadherin/β-catenin and cortical actin control both stability and remodelling of adhesion is unclear. Here we focus on Drosophila homophilic E-cadherin complexes rather than total E-cadherin, including diffusing ‘free’ E-cadherin, because these complexes are a better proxy for adhesion. We find that E-cadherin complexes partition in very stable microdomains (that is, bona fide adhesive foci which are more stable than remodelling contacts). Furthermore, we find that stability and mobility of these microdomains depend on two actin populations: small, stable actin patches concentrate at homophilic E-cadherin clusters, whereas a rapidly turning over, contractile network constrains their lateral movement by a tethering mechanism. α-Catenin controls epithelial architecture mainly through regulation of the mobility of homophilic clusters and it is largely dispensable for their stability. Uncoupling stability and mobility of E-cadherin complexes suggests that stable epithelia may remodel through the regulated mobility of very stable adhesive foci.

Date: 2008
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DOI: 10.1038/nature06953

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