A Transforming Growth Factor β Type I Receptor That Signals to Activate Gene Expression

• Published in: Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science) 1994-01, Vol.263 (5143), p.87-89
• Main Authors: Bassing, Craig H., Yingling, Jonathan M., Howe, David J., Wang, Tongwen, He, Wei Wu, Gustafson, Michael L., Shah, Paresh, Donahoe, Patricia K., Wang, Xiao-Fan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; B lymphocytes; Cell Line; Cell lines; Complementary DNA; COS cells; Gene expression; Gene Expression Regulation; Genes, Reporter; Ligands; Mutagenesis, Site-Directed; Plasmids; Protein-Serine-Threonine Kinases - metabolism; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Receptor, Transforming Growth Factor-beta Type II; Receptors; Receptors, Transforming Growth Factor beta - metabolism; Signal Transduction; Transfection; Transforming Growth Factor beta - metabolism; Transforming Growth Factor beta - pharmacology; Transforming growth factors
• ISSN: 0036-8075; 1095-9203
• DOI: 10.1126/science.8272871

Transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) is a multifunctional factor that regulates many aspects of cellular functions. TGF-β signals through a heteromeric complex of the type I and type II TGF-β receptors. However, the molecular mechanism of signal transduction by this receptor complex remains unresolved. The type II receptor belongs to a transmembrane receptor serine-threonine kinase family. A new member of this receptor family (R4) was identified and shown to be a functional TGF-β type I receptor on the basis of its ability to restore a TGF-β-induced gene response in mutant cell lines lacking endogenous type I receptor. Both ligand binding and signaling of the R4 protein were dependent on the presence of a functional type II receptor. The type I receptor has an intrinsic serinethreonine kinase activity, which was essential for signal transduction.