Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 22, 2025

Reconstitution Of β-catenin Degradation In Xenopus Egg Extract
09:41

Reconstitution Of β-catenin Degradation In Xenopus Egg Extract

Published on: June 17, 2014

12.2K

The time-resolved genomic impact of Wnt/β-catenin signaling

Pierfrancesco Pagella1, Simon Söderholm1, Anna Nordin1

  • 1Wallenberg Centre for Molecular Medicine, Linköping University, 58185 Linköping, Sweden; Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Division of Molecular Medicine and Virology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Linköping University, 58185 Linköping, Sweden.

Cell Systems
|July 20, 2023
PubMed

Insights

Wnt/β-catenin binding dynamics at genomic targets are tissue-specific and time-dependent, influencing chromatin accessibility and cell behavior. This study reveals plastic and elastic responses in human embryonic stem cells and HEK293T cells, respectively.

Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Genomics
  • Cell Biology

Background:

  • Wnt signaling regulates gene expression through β-catenin.
  • The dynamic binding of β-catenin to genomic targets and its impact on chromatin are not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the temporal dynamics of β-catenin binding to genomic regions.
  • To understand how β-catenin-mediated chromatin changes influence cell behavior.
  • To characterize tissue-specific responses to Wnt signaling.

Main Methods:

  • Time-resolved CUT&RUN assay for β-catenin.
  • Assay for Transposase-Accessible Chromatin using sequencing (ATAC-seq).
  • Perturbation assays in various cell types.

Main Results:

  • Wnt/β-catenin physical targets are tissue-specific.
  • β-catenin exhibits dynamic binding to loci over time.
  • Chromatin accessibility landscapes change with β-catenin association, modulating cell behavior.
  • Human embryonic stem cells show a 'plastic' chromatin response during mesodermal differentiation.
  • HEK293T cells display an 'elastic' response with transient chromatin opening.

Conclusions:

  • Wnt/β-catenin binding dynamics are crucial for tissue-specific gene regulation and cell plasticity.
  • Cellular responses to Wnt signaling are influenced by time, cell type, and chromatin constraints.
  • Future research should explore these principles in other cell communication pathways.
Keywords:
ATAC-seqCUT&RUNWnt signalingcancerchromatinembryonic developmentgenometranscriptiontranscription factorβ-catenin

More Related Videos

The Power of Simplicity: Sea Urchin Embryos as in Vivo Developmental Models for Studying Complex Cell-to-cell Signaling Network Interactions07:34

The Power of Simplicity: Sea Urchin Embryos as in Vivo Developmental Models for Studying Complex Cell-to-cell Signaling Network Interactions

Published on: February 16, 2017

8.0K
Modeling Paracrine Noncanonical Wnt Signaling In Vitro11:14

Modeling Paracrine Noncanonical Wnt Signaling In Vitro

Published on: December 10, 2021

1.6K

Related Concept Videos

Canonical Wnt Signaling Pathway02:54

Canonical Wnt Signaling Pathway

The gene encoding the main signaling molecules of the Wnt signaling pathways (the Wnt proteins) was discovered almost four decades ago by Nüsslein-Volhard and Wieschaus. They identified and originally named the gene "wingless" (wg) after a phenotype discovered during their landmark genetic screen in Drosophila for body pattern defects. At around the same time, another researcher named Harold Varmus found that a murine tumor virus activates the mammalian wg homolog, Int-1, which...
8.8K
Non-Canonical Wnt Signaling Pathways01:41

Non-Canonical Wnt Signaling Pathways

Wnt is a zygotic effect gene that is expressed during very early embryonic development. It regulates various processes in animals starting from early development through the adult stage, such as organogenesis in the embryo and maintenance of neuronal and blood stem cells. Wnt proteins can induce a wide variety of intracellular pathways depending upon the specific abilities of different Wnt ligands to form a complex with shared and cognate receptors in the presence of different co-receptors. The...
7.3K
Catenins01:23

Catenins

Catenins are characterized by multiple binding domains and dynamic structures that allow them to function as linker proteins in cell junction complexes. All catenins, except α-catenin, contain a characteristic protein sequence called the armadillo repeat and are therefore also called armadillo proteins.
Catenins in Cell Junctions
Catenins bind to cell adhesion molecules such as cadherins and link them to different cytoskeletal proteins depending on the type of cell junction. At the...
2.3K
Intracellular Signaling Affects Focal Adhesions01:17

Intracellular Signaling Affects Focal Adhesions

Integrins act both as extracellular input receivers and as intracellular processing activators. As their name suggests, integrins are entirely integrated into the membrane structure. Their hydrophobic membrane-spanning regions interact with the phospholipid bilayer's hydrophobic region. These membrane receptors provide extracellular attachment sites for effectors like hormones and growth factors. They activate intracellular response cascades when their effectors are bound and active.
Some...
2.7K
TGF - β Signaling Pathway01:16

TGF - β Signaling Pathway

The TGF-β signaling pathway regulates cell growth, differentiation, adhesion, motility, and development. TGF-β ligands that induce TGF-β signaling are synthesized in their latent form. Several proteases or cell surface receptors such as integrins act upon the latent form, releasing the active ligand. There are three types of mammalian TGF-βs: (TGF-β1, TGF-β2, and TGF-β3) that bind as homodimers or heterodimers to TGF-β receptors. The TGF-β receptors...
7.4K
Diversity in Cell Signaling Responses01:22

Diversity in Cell Signaling Responses

The physiological function of a cell and cellular communication are outcomes of a range of extrinsic signals, intracellular signaling pathways, and cellular responses. No two cell types express the same repertoire of signaling components. Receptors are highly selective for their cognate ligands, but once activated, they can alter multiple cellular processes such as DNA transcription, protein synthesis, and metabolic activity. 
Graded and Abrupt Responses
Some signaling systems generate...
6.5K