α-Catenin is an actin-and vinculin-binding protein that regulates cell-cell adhesion by
interacting with cadherin adhesion receptors through β-catenin, but the mechanisms by
which it anchors the cadherin-catenin complex to the actin cytoskeleton at adherens
junctions remain unclear. Here we determined crystal structures of αE-catenin in the
autoinhibited state and the actin-binding domain of αN-catenin. Together with the small-
angle x-ray scattering analysis of full-length αN-catenin, we deduced an elongated …