List of proteins to remember

CALMODULIN vs. CADHERIN?

o Both are calcium binding proteins
cadherin in cell-cell adhesion , catenin facilitate binding
calmodulin as structural/smooth muscle regulation/can activate other proteins when bound to
calcium
Desmin (muscle specific) and Vimentin
o Keep Z-disk in register at Z-line
Alpha-actinin
o Glues actin filaments at Z-disk
Nebulin
o Muscle contraction modulation via its phosphorylation (not the most important for contraction)
Titin
o Keep structure in register, can change length with contraction
Calmodulin
o Calcium binding protein (in smooth muscles), also works as calcium sensors
o Structural protein
Actin
o Non-muscle cells as structural protein, muscle cells motility apparatus; can polymerize in absence of
ATP
Tropomyosin, Myosin
o Non-muscle cells as structural protein, muscle cells motility apparatus
Tau
o Is a MAPs microtubule associated proteins (MAP can promote polymerization of microtubules)
Fimbrin (more generally distributed), Villin (only in intestines)
o Bundles actin together, chop filaments when [Ca2+] abnormal
Filamin, Gelsolin
o Calcium dependent fragmentation protein
Profilin
o Breaks down filiopodia, affects actin
Keratin
o Distribute mechanical stress, join regions of cell-cell/cell-matrix adhesion
Alpha-tubulin VS Beta-tubulin
o Component of microtubule, differ in post-translational modifications
o Alpha-tubulin (acetylation), Beta-tubulin (phosphorylation)
Colchinine
o Inhibition of polymerization
Stathmin
o Sequesters free tubulin dimers, promote depolymerization
Catastrophin
o Destabilization; shorter more dynamic microtubules
Dyenin
o Move towards minus end, a microtubule
o Sliding in axoneme
Kinesins
o Move towards plus end, a microtubule
Nexin
o Coupling of different microtubule dimers
Rho GTPases
o Involved with regulation of cytoskeleton, pathways of subfamilies can interact
o Three subfamilies
Cdc42 filopodia regulation, act on WASP; act on PAK (p-21 activated kinase which acts on
JNK and SAPK; actin regulation)

Rac ruffled lamellipodia regulation, act on POR1

Rho stress fibers and focal contacts assembly; act on molecules with formin homology
domains, ROCK, lipid kinases, LIM kinases, citron kinases)

ERM Proteins
o Involved with regulation of cytoskeleton
EBP5
o Associates with Ezrin (Ezrin can be regulated by many events)
Glycocalix
o Coating of material and provide barrier (like in intestines)
Claudins and occludins
o Dictate properties of paracellular transport
Cadherin
o Cell-cell adhesion molecule, also in desmosomes, can be different forms of the same gene product
(obtained by splicing)
Connexons
o Make gap junctions, made of subunits called connexins
Fibronectin
o Found in basilar membrane, connective tissue; extracellular matrix component
o Three different forms exist (same gene product)
o Have Arg-Gly-Asp sequence
Tenaschin, laminin
o Specific for basilar membrane, glycoprotein
Proteoglycans
o Ion exchangers; in kidneys, aid in filtration
Integrins
o Cell-extracellular matrix adhesion, cell-cell adhesion sometimes
o Cell signaling (are receptors)
o Made of two subunits (beta and alpha), utilize divalent cations
Selectins
o Only adhesion of blood cells to endothelial
Ig family members
o Domains homologous to Ig, but do not work like Ig
Beta-catenin (catenins)
o Cell-cell adhesion, catenins mediate binding of cadherin to cytoskeleton and signaling to the nucleus
P-selectin
o Interact with WBC, allow for WBC to bind to intergrin
Focal adhesion kinase
o Catalytic domain, N-terminal domain, carboxy-terminal domain (talin & paxilin binding)
Transducin
o Exchange protein in eye, when activated with GTP, activates cGMP phosphodiesterase
Prostaglandins
o Lipophilic molecules, short distances only (but can induced powerful, localized effects)
Vitamin D
o Production dependent on sunlight, hydroxylases in kidney, and in intestines
Chalones
o Feedback inhibition of growth
o Total cell specificity, likely species non-specific, reversible, non-cytotoxic
Arachidonic Acid
o Can work by itself, can be derivatized by eiconasoids

Extracellular Matrix Components

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Collagen
o Has Glycine every third amino acid, needs to be cross-linked for stabilization; part of extracellular matrix
o Type I most abundant

Type IV most important to understand

Its amino and carboxy terminals no cleaving, kink present, polymerizes head-to-head, associates
with other kinds of collagen
Proteoglycans
o Made of glucose aminoglycans (carbohydrates which give it its properties) and protein backbone
(hydraluronic acid)
o highly negative charged bind to water, resistance to compression
o aggrecan a type of proteoglycan
o syndecan cell adhesion, serglycine condensation process of secretory products into granules
o

Elastic Fibers
o Confers elasticity; also contains many glycine, but in no particular order

Junctions
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Tight junctions (zonula occludens)

o Allow separation of basolateral environment from apical; located at most apical
Anchoring junctions
o Cell-cell adhesion, cell-matrix adhesion w/
Actin filament network: adhesion belts, focal contacts
Intermediate filaments: desmosomes, hemidesmosomes
o Belt desmosomes (zonula adherens) actin (actin is long, like a belt), utilize cadherin
o Spot desmosomes (macula adherens) keratin, have fibrilar material, utilize desmogleins, desmocollins,
desmoplakins (link to intermediate filaments)
o Hemidesmosomes different composition from spot desmosomes
Communicating junctions
o Metabolic cooperation, and hormone response coordination

Pathways
Cdc42/Rac1 PAK activates JUN/SAPK pathways
Hormone G-protein activation Adenylyl cyclase cAMP protein kinase A CREB (a DNA
binding protein) & many others
Hormone G-protein activation Phospholipase C PIP2 DG and IP3 (DG activates PKC and
localizes it to membrane), IP3 raises intracellular calcium via ER calcium channels)
Phospholipase A2 Arachidonic Acid (a fatty-acid signaling molecule - can work by itself, and can
be derivatized)
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