Cadherin mechanics and complexation: the importance of calcium binding.

ABSTRACT: E-cadherins belong to a family of membrane-bound, cellular adhesion proteins. Their adhesive properties mainly involve the two N-terminal extracellular domains (EC1 and EC2). The junctions between these domains are characterized by calcium ion binding sites, and calcium ions are essential for the correct functioning of E-cadherins. Calcium is believed to rigidify the extracellular portion of the protein, which, when complexed, adopts a rod-like conformation. Here, we use molecular dynamics simulations to investigate the dynamics of the EC1-2 portion of E-cadherin in the presence and in the absence of calcium ions. These simulations confirm that apo-cadherin shows much higher conformational flexibility on a nanosecond timescale than the calcium-bound form. It is also shown that although the

SUBMITTER: Cailliez F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1366956 | biostudies-literature | 2005 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature