Fractionation of the epithelial apical junctional complex: reassessment of protein distributions in different substructures.

ABSTRACT: The epithelial apical junctional complex (AJC) is an important regulator of cell structure and function. The AJC is compartmentalized into substructures comprising the tight and adherens junctions, and other membrane complexes containing the membrane proteins nectin, junctional adhesion molecule, and crumbs. In addition, many peripheral membrane proteins localize to the AJC. Studies of isolated proteins indicate a complex map of potential binding partners in which there is extensive overlap in the interactions between proteins in different AJC substructures. As an alternative to a direct search for specific protein-protein interactions, we sought to separate membrane substructures of the AJC in iodixanol density gradients and define their protein constituents. Results show that the AJC can

SUBMITTER: Vogelmann R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC545905 | biostudies-literature | 2005 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature