Figure 1.

Exon B of p120^ctn encodes a NES. (a) Schematic overview of the human p120^ctn isoforms, generated by alternative splicing. Open boxes represent the sequences encoding the Arm repeats. Four different ATG start codons are designated M1–M4. In the C-terminal half of p120^ctn, sequences C, A, and B are encoded by alternatively spliced exons. Numbers indicate the size of the longest isoform and of the inserts encoded by exons A–C. (b and c) In MDCK cells, overexpression of p120^ctn isoforms 3AB and 3A was achieved by transient transfection of plasmids pEFBOSp120–3AB or pEFBOSp120–3A, respectively. Detection was done by immunofluorescence. Endogenous p120^ctn in MDCK is hardly visible because of the short exposure time. (Bar = 18 μm.)