δ-Catenin is a subfamily of catenin proteins with ten armadillo-repeats and includes the proteins catenin delta-1 and catenin delta-2. Catenin delta-2 is expressed in the brain where it is important for normal cognitive development.[1] Like β-catenin and γ-catenin, δ-catenins seem to interact with presenilins.[2] These catenin-presenilin interaction have implications for cadherin function and regulation of cell-to-cell adhesion.[3]
While β-catenin acts as a transcription regulatory protein in the Wnt/TCF pathway, delta-1 catenin has been implicated as a regulator of the NF-κB transcription factor.[4]
Palmitoylation of δ-catenin seems to coordinate activity-dependent changes in synaptic adhesion molecules, synapse structure, and receptor localizations that are involved in memory formation.[5]