α-Catenin (alpha-catenin) functions as the primary protein link between cadherins and the actin cytoskeleton.[1] It has been reported that the actin binding proteins vinculin[2] and α-actinin[3] can bind to alpha-catenin. It has been suggested that alpha-catenin does not bind with high affinity to both actin filaments and the E-cadherin-beta-catenin complex at the same time.[4] It has been observed that when α-catenin is not in a molecular complex with β-catenin, it dimerizes and functions to regulate actin filament assembly,[5] possibly by competing with Arp2/3 protein.[6] α-Catenin exhibits significant protein dynamics.[7] However, a protein complex including a cadherin, actin, β-catenin and α-catenin has not been isolated.[citation needed]
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The amino acid sequence of α-catenin has sequence similarity to that of vinculin.[8]