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Letting go: modification of cell adhesion during apoptosis

Magali Suzanne1,2 and Hermann Steller1*

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Author affiliations

1 The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA

2 Institute of Developmental Biology and Cancer, CNRS UMR6543, UniversitéNice – Sophia Antipolis, Parc Valrose, 06108 Nice cedex 2, France

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Citation and License

Journal of Biology 2009, 8:49 doi:10.1186/jbiol152

Published: 28 May 2009

Abstract

Apoptosis appears to be a carefully orchestrated process for the ordered dismantling of cells. A recent paper in BMC Developmental Biology shows that the disassembly of adherens junctions during apoptosis in Drosophila is progressive and requires the amino-terminal cleavage of the β-catenin Armadillo by the apoptotic effector caspase DrICE.