A new nuclear component of the Wnt signalling pathway

Nat Cell Biol. 2002 May;4(5):367-73. doi: 10.1038/ncb786.

Abstract

The Wnt signalling pathway is pivotal in normal and malignant development. A key effector is Armadillo (Arm)/beta-catenin, which functions with TCF to transcribe Wnt target-genes. Here, we report the discovery of pygopus (pygo), whose mutant phenotypes specifically mimic loss-of-Wingless (Wg) signalling. pygo is required for dTCF-mediated transcription, but not for Wg-induced stabilization of Arm. Pygo is a nuclear protein that is found in a complex with Arm in vivo. Humans possess two Pygo proteins, both of which are required for TCF-mediated transcription in colorectal cancer cells. The presence of a PHD domain implicates Pygo proteins in a chromatin-related function, and we propose that they mediate chromatin access to TCF or Arm/beta-catenin.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing
  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Armadillo Domain Proteins
  • Carrier Proteins / genetics
  • Carrier Proteins / metabolism*
  • Carrier Proteins / physiology
  • Cell Line
  • Colorectal Neoplasms / pathology
  • Colorectal Neoplasms / physiopathology
  • Cytoskeletal Proteins / genetics
  • Cytoskeletal Proteins / metabolism
  • Drosophila Proteins / genetics
  • Drosophila Proteins / metabolism*
  • Drosophila melanogaster / anatomy & histology
  • Drosophila melanogaster / embryology
  • Drosophila melanogaster / genetics*
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental
  • Humans
  • Insect Proteins / genetics
  • Insect Proteins / metabolism*
  • Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins*
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Nuclear Proteins / genetics
  • Nuclear Proteins / metabolism
  • Phenotype
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins / genetics
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins / metabolism
  • Repressor Proteins / genetics
  • Repressor Proteins / metabolism
  • Sequence Alignment
  • Signal Transduction / physiology*
  • Trans-Activators*
  • Transcription Factors
  • Transcription, Genetic
  • Wnt1 Protein
  • beta Catenin

Substances

  • ARM protein, Drosophila
  • Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing
  • Armadillo Domain Proteins
  • CTNNB1 protein, human
  • Carrier Proteins
  • Cytoskeletal Proteins
  • Drosophila Proteins
  • Insect Proteins
  • Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
  • Nuclear Proteins
  • PYGO1 protein, human
  • PYGO2 protein, human
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins
  • Repressor Proteins
  • Trans-Activators
  • Transcription Factors
  • Wnt1 Protein
  • beta Catenin
  • pygo protein, Drosophila
  • wg protein, Drosophila