Biomaterial Database

Actin, alpha-actinin, and vinculin are associated with septate junctions in Insecta. 1993

A Colombo, and P Bonfanti, and M Camatini

Dipartimento di Biologia, Università degli Studi di Milano, Italy.

Cytoskeletal elements associated with the smooth septate junctions linking the midgut columnar cells of Manduca sexta larvae (Insecta, Lepidoptera) were characterized. Myosin subfragment 1 decoration and immunostaining for actin demonstrated that the filaments associated with the septate junctions were constituted of actin. Moreover, using a combination of immunochemical and immunolocalization techniques, evidence is presented that alpha-actinin, myosin II, and vinculin are localized close to the specialized plasma membranes. The insertion of microfilament bundles into submembranous F-actin/alpha-actinin/vinculin complexes, previously described in vertebrate junctions of adherens type, appears to be a more general organization, including the insect septate junction here examined.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007365	Intercellular Junctions	Direct contact of a cell with a neighboring cell. Most such junctions are too small to be resolved by light microscopy, but they can be visualized by conventional or freeze-fracture electron microscopy, both of which show that the interacting CELL MEMBRANE and often the underlying CYTOPLASM and the intervening EXTRACELLULAR SPACE are highly specialized in these regions. (From Alberts et al., Molecular Biology of the Cell, 2d ed, p792)	Cell Junctions,Cell Junction,Intercellular Junction,Junction, Cell,Junction, Intercellular,Junctions, Cell,Junctions, Intercellular
D007422	Intestines	The section of the alimentary canal from the STOMACH to the ANAL CANAL. It includes the LARGE INTESTINE and SMALL INTESTINE.	Intestine
D007814	Larva	Wormlike or grublike stage, following the egg in the life cycle of insects, worms, and other metamorphosing animals.	Maggots,Tadpoles,Larvae,Maggot,Tadpole
D008841	Actin Cytoskeleton	Fibers composed of MICROFILAMENT PROTEINS, which are predominately ACTIN. They are the smallest of the cytoskeletal filaments.	Actin Filaments,Microfilaments,Actin Microfilaments,Actin Cytoskeletons,Actin Filament,Actin Microfilament,Cytoskeleton, Actin,Cytoskeletons, Actin,Filament, Actin,Filaments, Actin,Microfilament,Microfilament, Actin,Microfilaments, Actin
D008854	Microscopy, Electron	Microscopy using an electron beam, instead of light, to visualize the sample, thereby allowing much greater magnification. The interactions of ELECTRONS with specimens are used to provide information about the fine structure of that specimen. In TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY the reactions of the electrons that are transmitted through the specimen are imaged. In SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY an electron beam falls at a non-normal angle on the specimen and the image is derived from the reactions occurring above the plane of the specimen.	Electron Microscopy
D008871	Microvilli	Minute projections of cell membranes which greatly increase the surface area of the cell.	Brush Border,Striated Border,Border, Brush,Border, Striated,Borders, Brush,Borders, Striated,Brush Borders,Microvillus,Striated Borders
D009036	Moths	Insects of the suborder Heterocera of the order LEPIDOPTERA.	Antheraea,Giant Silkmoths,Giant Silkworms,Silkmoths, Giant,Silkworms, Giant,Antheraeas,Giant Silkmoth,Giant Silkworm,Moth,Silkmoth, Giant,Silkworm, Giant
D009218	Myosins	A diverse superfamily of proteins that function as translocating proteins. They share the common characteristics of being able to bind ACTINS and hydrolyze MgATP. Myosins generally consist of heavy chains which are involved in locomotion, and light chains which are involved in regulation. Within the structure of myosin heavy chain are three domains: the head, the neck and the tail. The head region of the heavy chain contains the actin binding domain and MgATPase domain which provides energy for locomotion. The neck region is involved in binding the light-chains. The tail region provides the anchoring point that maintains the position of the heavy chain. The superfamily of myosins is organized into structural classes based upon the type and arrangement of the subunits they contain.	Myosin ATPase,ATPase, Actin-Activated,ATPase, Actomyosin,ATPase, Myosin,Actin-Activated ATPase,Actomyosin ATPase,Actomyosin Adenosinetriphosphatase,Adenosine Triphosphatase, Myosin,Adenosinetriphosphatase, Actomyosin,Adenosinetriphosphatase, Myosin,Myosin,Myosin Adenosinetriphosphatase,ATPase, Actin Activated,Actin Activated ATPase,Myosin Adenosine Triphosphatase
D003599	Cytoskeleton	The network of filaments, tubules, and interconnecting filamentous bridges which give shape, structure, and organization to the cytoplasm.	Cytoplasmic Filaments,Cytoskeletal Filaments,Microtrabecular Lattice,Cytoplasmic Filament,Cytoskeletal Filament,Cytoskeletons,Filament, Cytoplasmic,Filament, Cytoskeletal,Filaments, Cytoplasmic,Filaments, Cytoskeletal,Lattice, Microtrabecular,Lattices, Microtrabecular,Microtrabecular Lattices
D000185	Actinin	A protein factor that regulates the length of R-actin. It is chemically similar, but immunochemically distinguishable from actin.	alpha-Actinin,Eu-Actinin,beta-Actinin,Eu Actinin,alpha Actinin,beta Actinin