Figure 4: The effect of vinculin binding on mechanical behavior of α-catenin.
From: Mechano-adaptive sensory mechanism of α-catenin under tension
(A) Contour map for vinculin-bound MT MI-MIII fragment based on 571 force curves. (B) Contour map for vinculin-bound MI fragment based on 111 force curves. The conformation of vinculin-bound MI domain comprised a stable helix of VBS with high Fu and two unstable substructures with low Fu. (C) Changes in the average number of force peaks N caused by vinculin binding. (D) Schematic of the molecular complex consisting of α-catenin, vinculin, and actin filament (F-actin). MI-MIII domain was reinforced by vinculin binding at the head domain, in which the MII–MIII domain stabilized the conformation of vinculin-bound MI domain. The tail domain of vinculin associates with another actin filament.
