First published online April 5, 2006
Journal of Cell Science 119, 802e (2006)
© The Company of Biologists Limited
A talin(t) for adhesion
Adhesion of cells to the extracellular matrix is primarily mediated by integrins – transmembrane receptors composed of 
and ß subunits. Several cytoplasmic proteins link the cytoplasmic tail of integrin ß to the cytoskeleton. Talin, in particular, is necessary for the formation of this link. Nicholas Brown and co-workers have examined talin-integrin interactions at muscle-attachment sites in Drosophila embryos, because integrins and associated cytoplasmic proteins are concentrated here and required for muscle function. They now report that multiple molecular interactions contribute to integrintalin association in vivo (see p. 1632). For example, the authors show that the conserved N-terminal domain of talin is recruited to integrin adhesion sites through direct interaction with multiple residues in the cytoplasmic tail of integrin ß, and that this must dimerize to recruit talin. Their results also indicate that recruitment of talin alone does not trigger the assembly of the whole protein complex that links integrins to the cytoskeleton but that other unidentified factors are needed to initiate this process.
Related articles in JCS:
- Multiple factors contribute to integrin-talin interactions in vivo
- Guy Tanentzapf, Maria D. Martin-Bermudo, Marcus S. Hicks, and Nicholas H. Brown
JCS 2006 119: 1632-1644.
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