Nuclear localization of β-catenin by interaction with transcription factor LEF-1
O Huber, R Korn, J McLaughlin, M Ohsugi… - Mechanisms of …, 1996 - Elsevier
O Huber, R Korn, J McLaughlin, M Ohsugi, BG Herrmann, R Kemler
Mechanisms of development, 1996•ElsevierVertebrate β-catenin and Drosophila Armadillo share structural similarities suggesting that β-
catenin, like Armadillo, has a developmental signaling function. Both proteins are present as
components of cell adherens junctions, but accumulate in the cytoplasm upon Wingless/Wnt
signaling. β-Catenin has axis-inducing properties like Wnt when injected into Xenopus
blastomeres, providing evidence for participation of β-catenin in the Wnt-pathway, but until
now no downstream targets for β-catenin have been identified. Here we demonstrate that β …
catenin, like Armadillo, has a developmental signaling function. Both proteins are present as
components of cell adherens junctions, but accumulate in the cytoplasm upon Wingless/Wnt
signaling. β-Catenin has axis-inducing properties like Wnt when injected into Xenopus
blastomeres, providing evidence for participation of β-catenin in the Wnt-pathway, but until
now no downstream targets for β-catenin have been identified. Here we demonstrate that β …
Vertebrate β-catenin and Drosophila Armadillo share structural similarities suggesting that β-catenin, like Armadillo, has a developmental signaling function. Both proteins are present as components of cell adherens junctions, but accumulate in the cytoplasm upon Wingless/Wnt signaling. β-Catenin has axis-inducing properties like Wnt when injected into Xenopus blastomeres, providing evidence for participation of β-catenin in the Wnt-pathway, but until now no downstream targets for β-catenin have been identified. Here we demonstrate that β-catenin binds to the HMG-type transcription factor lymphoid enhancer factor-1 (LEF-1), resulting in a nuclear translocation of β-catenin both in cultured mouse cells and after ectopic expression of LEF-1 in two-cell mouse embryos. LEF-1/β-catenin complexes bind to the promoter region of the E-cadherin gene in vitro, suggesting that this interaction could regulate E-cadherin transcription. As shown for β-catenin, ectopic expression of LEF-1 in Xenopus embryos caused duplication of the body axis, indicating a regulatory role for a LEF-1-like molecule in dorsal mesoderm formation.
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