Cadherin-3, also known as P-Cadherin, is a
protein
Proteins are large biomolecules and macromolecules that comprise one or more long chains of amino acid residue (biochemistry), residues. Proteins perform a vast array of functions within organisms, including Enzyme catalysis, catalysing metab ...
that in humans is encoded by the ''CDH3''
gene
In biology, the word gene has two meanings. The Mendelian gene is a basic unit of heredity. The molecular gene is a sequence of nucleotides in DNA that is transcribed to produce a functional RNA. There are two types of molecular genes: protei ...
.
Function
This gene is a classical
cadherin
Cadherins (named for "calcium-dependent adhesion") are cell adhesion molecules important in forming adherens junctions that let cells adhere to each other. Cadherins are a class of type-1 transmembrane proteins, and they depend on calcium (Ca2+) ...
from the cadherin superfamily. The encoded protein is a calcium-dependent cell-cell adhesion glycoprotein composed of five extracellular cadherin repeats, a transmembrane region and a highly conserved
cytoplasmic tail. This gene is located in a six-cadherin cluster in a region on the long arm of chromosome 16 that is involved in loss of heterozygosity events in breast and prostate cancer. In addition, aberrant expression of this protein is observed in cervical adenocarcinomas.
Clinical significance
Mutations in this gene have been associated with congenital
hypotrichosis with juvenile macular dystrophy.
Interactions
CDH3 (gene) has been shown to
interact with:
*
Beta-catenin,
[
* Nephrin][
]
History
Cadherin-3 was first described in 1986 by Masatoshi Takeichi's laboratory as a new cadherin molecule most abundant in the developing mouse placenta – hence "P-cadherin".
See also
* EEM syndrome
References
Further reading
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External links
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{{gene-16-stub