The product of the Drosophila segment polarity gene Armadillo is part of a multi-protein complex resembling the vertebrate adherens junction

Sequence similarity between the Drosophila segment polarity protein Armadillo and the vertebrate adherens junction protein beta-catenin raised the possibility that adherens junctions function in transduction of intercellular signals like that mediated by Wingless/Wnt-1. To substantiate the sequence similarity, properties of Armadillo were evaluated for consistency with a junctional role. Armadillo is part of a membrane-associated complex. This complex includes Armadillo, a glycoprotein similar in size to vertebrate cadherins, and the Drosophila homolog of alpha-catenin. Armadillo co-localizes with junctions that resemble vertebrate adherens junctions in morphology and position. These results suggest that Drosophila and vertebrate adherens junctions are structurally similar, validating use of Armadillo and its associated proteins as a model for vertebrate adherens junctions.