2026-10-19 産業技術総合研究所
＜関連情報＞
- https://www.aist.go.jp/aist_j/press_release/pr2026/pr20261019/pr20261019.html
- https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2620441123
高速原子間力顕微鏡で可視化された膜上のカドヘリン複合体のトランス相互作用およびシス相互作用の動態 Trans– and cis-interaction dynamics of cadherin complexes on membranes visualized by high-speed atomic force microscopy
Shigetaka Nishiguchi, Tadaomi Furuta, and Takayuki Uchihashi
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Published:October 7, 2026
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2620441123
Abstract
Classical cadherin-mediated cell–cell adhesion is important for maintaining the animal body and defects in adhesion cause severe diseases. The combination of trans– (between cells) and cis– (on the same membrane) interactions of the extracellular domains of cadherins is necessary for cadherin clustering in cell–cell junctions, which is essential for robust tissue formation. However, the solution structure and interaction dynamics of trans/cis-binding cadherin complexes have not been observed because of technical limitations; therefore, the cadherin clustering mechanism is not well understood. In this study, we reconstituted trans/cis-binding cadherin complexes on membranes and visualized their structure and dynamics using high-speed atomic force microscopy. Our method revealed trans-strand-swap interactions through flipping and hopping motions and cis-interactions, which contributed to multiple interaction patterns on the membrane. In addition, we observed cadherin complex structures that were distinct from those in crystal structures. These results suggest that cadherins adopt dynamic and diverse conformations through multiple assembly pathways on the membrane.
