| Type: | Family | Name: | Tight junction protein ZO |
| Description: | The zona occuldens proteins (ZO-1, ZO-2 and ZO-3) are a family of TJ- associated proteins that function as cross-linkers, anchoring the TJ strand proteins to the actin-based cytoskeleton []. Each protein contains three PDZ (postsynaptic density, disc-large, ZO-1) domains, a single SH3 (Src Homology-3) domain and a GK (guanylate kinase) domain, the presence of whichidentifies them as members of the membrane-associated guanylate kinase (MAGUK) protein family. They also share an acidic domain at the C-terminal region of the molecules not found in other MAGUK proteins. It has been demonstrated that the first PDZ domain is involved in binding the C-terminal-Y-V motif of claudins []. By contrast, the occludin-binding domain ofZO-1 has been shown to lie in the GK and acidic domains []. Although the precise location of the actin-binding motif has not been elucidated, it appears to be within the C-terminal half of the molecules, since transfection of this region into fibroblasts induces co-localisation of ZO-1 and ZO-2 with actin fibres. | Short Name: | ZO |
