{"entity": "publication", "iuid": "4e5dbd8c27034e369d54052b610c7959", "timestamp": "2026-08-22T06:57:52.247Z", "links": {"self": {"href": "https://publications-affiliated.scilifelab.se/publication/4e5dbd8c27034e369d54052b610c7959.json"}, "display": {"href": "https://publications-affiliated.scilifelab.se/publication/4e5dbd8c27034e369d54052b610c7959"}}, "title": "Tuning Epithelial Cell-Cell Adhesion and Collective Dynamics with Functional DNA-E-Cadherin Hybrid Linkers.", "authors": [{"family": "Schoenit", "given": "Andreas", "initials": "A"}, {"family": "Lo Giudice", "given": "Cristina", "initials": "C"}, {"family": "Hahnen", "given": "Nina", "initials": "N"}, {"family": "Ollech", "given": "Dirk", "initials": "D"}, {"family": "Jahnke", "given": "Kevin", "initials": "K"}, {"family": "G\u00f6pfrich", "given": "Kerstin", "initials": "K", "orcid": "0000-0003-2115-3551", "researcher": {"href": "https://publications-affiliated.scilifelab.se/researcher/50126113a9284b4b9b5bfc9a34458374.json"}}, {"family": "Cavalcanti-Adam", "given": "Elisabetta Ada", "initials": "EA", "orcid": "0000-0003-0243-1552", "researcher": {"href": "https://publications-affiliated.scilifelab.se/researcher/4f65e47a544d4871b51a90ab6a96a1d6.json"}}], "type": "journal article", "published": "2022-01-12", "journal": {"title": "Nano Lett.", "issn": "1530-6992", "volume": "22", "issue": "1", "pages": "302-310", "issn-l": "1530-6984"}, "abstract": "The binding strength between epithelial cells is crucial for tissue integrity, signal transduction and collective cell dynamics. However, there is no experimental approach to precisely modulate cell-cell adhesion strength at the cellular and molecular level. Here, we establish DNA nanotechnology as a tool to control cell-cell adhesion of epithelial cells. We designed a DNA-E-cadherin hybrid system consisting of complementary DNA strands covalently bound to a truncated E-cadherin with a modified extracellular domain. DNA sequence design allows to tune the DNA-E-cadherin hybrid molecular binding strength, while retaining its cytosolic interactions and downstream signaling capabilities. The DNA-E-cadherin hybrid facilitates strong and reversible cell-cell adhesion in E-cadherin deficient cells by forming mechanotransducive adherens junctions. We assess the direct influence of cell-cell adhesion strength on intracellular signaling and collective cell dynamics. This highlights the scope of DNA nanotechnology as a precision technology to study and engineer cell collectives.", "doi": "10.1021/acs.nanolett.1c03780", "pmid": "34939414", "labels": [], "xrefs": [{"db": "pmc", "key": "PMC8759084"}], "notes": [], "created": "2026-08-21T11:34:21.533Z", "modified": "2026-08-21T11:34:21.658Z"}