Human alpha-catulin, a novel alpha-catenin-like molecule with conserved genomic structure, but deviating alternative splicing.

A new human cDNA was cloned and termed alpha-catulin, based on sequence similarity with both alpha-CATenins and vincULIN. The mRNA is present ubiquitously, although low expression levels are found in neural tissues. The genomic organization of the alpha-catulin gene CTNNAL1 is closely related to that of the alphaE-catenin gene CTNNA1, but not at all to that of the vinculin gene. Alternative splicing of the last exon generates a frameshift, resulting in a truncated protein with a new carboxy-terminus.