Functional interaction of β-catenin with the transcription factor LEF-1

• Published in: Nature (London) 1996-08, Vol.382 (6592), p.638-642
• Main Authors: Behrens, Jürgen, von Kries, Jens P, Kühl, Michael, Bruhn, Laurakay, Wedlich, Doris, Grosschedl, Rudolf, Birchmeier, Walter
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adhesion; Animals; beta Catenin; Biochemistry; Biological and medical sciences; Cadherins - metabolism; Cell Line; Cell Nucleus - metabolism; Classical genetics, quantitative genetics, hybrids; Cloning, Molecular; Cytoskeletal Proteins - metabolism; Deoxyribonucleic acid; DNA; DNA - metabolism; DNA-Binding Proteins - metabolism; Drosophila; Escherichia coli; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Genetics of eukaryotes. Biological and molecular evolution; Humanities and Social Sciences; letter; Lymphoid Enhancer-Binding Factor 1; Molecular biology; multidisciplinary; Nucleic Acid Conformation; Protein Binding; Proteins; Recombinant Proteins - metabolism; RNA, Messenger - genetics; Saccharomyces cerevisiae - genetics; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Trans-Activators; Transcription Factors - metabolism; Vertebrata; Xenopus; Xenopus Proteins; Yeast; Yeasts
• ISSN: 0028-0836; 1476-4687
• DOI: 10.1038/382638a0

THE cytoplasmic proteins β-catenin of vertebrates and armadillo of Drosophila have two functions: they link the cadherin cell-adhesion molecules to the cytoskeleton 1–4 , and they participate in the wnt/wingless signalling pathway 5–7 . Here we show, in a yeast two-hybrid screen, that the architectural transcription factor LEF-1 (for lymphoid enhancer-binding factor) 8–10 interacts with β-catenin. In mammalian cells, coexpressed LEF-1 and β-catenin form a complex that is localized to the nucleus and can be detected by immunoprecipitation. Moreover, LEF-1 and β-catenin form a ternary complex with DNA that displays an altered DNA bend. Microinjection of LEF-1 into Xenopus embryos induces axis duplication, which is augmented by interaction with β-catenin. Thus β-catenin regulates gene expression by direct interaction with transcription factors such as LEF-1, providing a molecular mechanism for the transmission of signals from cell-adhesion components or wnt protein to the nucleus.