Vinculin forms a directionally asymmetric catch bond with F-actin

Tension reveals cryptic vinculin-binding sites on α-catenin and talin at cadherin-based cell-cell and integrin-based cell-matrix adhesions, respectively. The enrichment of vinculin at cellular adhesions is thus an indicator of load-induced reinforcement of the cytoskeletal linkage. Huang et al. used a single-molecule optical trap assay to measure the binding lifetimes of vinculin to single actin filaments under load. The vinculin-F-actin interaction formed a directional catch bond—one that is very weak at low force but that greatly increases in lifetime with increasing force. This explains vinculin's role as a reinforcing linker at both cell-cell and cell-matrix adhesions.