The tumour-suppressor gene patched encodes a candidate receptor for Sonic hedgehog

DM Stone, M Hynes, M Armanini, TA Swanson, Q Gu… - Nature, 1996 - nature.com
DM Stone, M Hynes, M Armanini, TA Swanson, Q Gu, RL Johnson, MP Scott, D Pennica…
Nature, 1996nature.com
Abstract The protein Sonic hedgehog (Shh) controls patterning and growth during vertebrate
development. Here we demonstrate that it binds Patched (vPtc), which has been identified
as a tumour-suppressor protein in basal cell carcinoma, with high affinity. We show that Re
can form a physical complex with a newly cloned vertebrate homologue of the Drosophila
protein Smoothened (vSmo), and that vSmo is coexpressed with vPtc in many tissues but
does not bind Shh directly. These findings, combined with available genetic evidence from …
Abstract
The protein Sonic hedgehog (Shh) controls patterning and growth during vertebrate development. Here we demonstrate that it binds Patched (vPtc), which has been identified as a tumour-suppressor protein in basal cell carcinoma, with high affinity. We show that Re can form a physical complex with a newly cloned vertebrate homologue of the Drosophila protein Smoothened (vSmo), and that vSmo is coexpressed with vPtc in many tissues but does not bind Shh directly. These findings, combined with available genetic evidence from Drosophila, support the hypothesis that Ptc is a receptor for Shh, and that vSmo could be a signalling component that is linked to Ptc.
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