PMID: 7527055Aug 1, 1994Paper

Band 6 protein, a major constituent of desmosomes from stratified epithelia, is a novel member of the armadillo multigene family

Journal of Cell Science
Mechthild HatzfeldK Weber

Abstract

Desmosomes are intercellular adhering junctions characteristic of epithelial cells. Several constitutive proteins--desmoplakin, plakoglobin and the transmembrane glycoproteins desmoglein and desmocollin--have been identified as fundamental constituents of desmosomes in all tissues. A number of additional and cell type-specific constituents also contribute to desmosomal plaque formation. Among these proteins is the band 6 polypeptide (B6P). This positively charged, non-glycosylated protein is a major constituent of the plaque in stratified and complex glandular epithelia. Using an overlay assay we show that purified keratins bind in vitro to B6P. Thus B6P may play a role in ordering intermediate filament networks of adjacent epithelial cells. To characterize the structure of B6P in the desmosome we have isolated cDNA clones representing the entire coding sequence. The predicted amino acid sequence of human B6P shows strong sequence homology with a murine p120 protein, which is a substrate of protein tyrosine kinase receptors and of p60v-src. P120 and B6P show amino-terminal domains differing distinctly in length and sequence. These are followed in both proteins by 460 residues that display a series of imperfect repeats correspon...Continue Reading

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