Fat1-4 cadherins have functions similar to intermediate filament genes in translation of force to a digital gene expression output.

Force in the form of tensile stress (“stretching”) is translated into output which contains the desired biomechanical effect in addition to all changes necessary in the cell to restore equilibrium in gene expression and cellular change to maintain homeostasis. We recently demonstrated interaction between the FAT1-4 cadherins and the YAP/TAZ signal transduction family. We demonstrate here downstream signaling changes including loss of Kif13a and activation of Kif22. Genetic interference of the YAP/TAZ signal transduction pathway resulted in mobilization of the intermediate filament Krt7.