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Interaction between Wingless and Notch signaling pathways mediated by dishevelled
J D Axelrod1, K Matsuno, S Artavanis-Tsakonas
1Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
Science (New York, N.Y.)
|March 29, 1996
Summary
The dishevelled gene in Drosophila antagonistically interacts with Notch signaling. Dishevelled physically binds Notch, inhibiting its pathway and explaining cross-talk between Wingless and Notch signaling during development.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Biology
- Molecular Biology
- Genetics
Background:
- The Wingless and Notch signaling pathways are crucial for developmental patterning in Drosophila.
- Dishevelled is known to be involved in transducing the Wingless signal.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the interaction between the dishevelled gene and the Notch signaling pathway.
- To elucidate the molecular mechanism underlying the cross-talk between Wingless and Notch signaling.
Main Methods:
- Genetic analysis in Drosophila.
- Biochemical assays to detect physical interactions between Dishevelled and Notch proteins.
Main Results:
- Genetic analysis revealed an antagonistic interaction between dishevelled and Notch signaling components (Notch and Delta).
- Direct physical interaction was observed between Dishevelled protein and the Notch carboxyl terminus.
Conclusions:
- Dishevelled acts as an inhibitor of Notch signaling, in addition to its role in Wingless signal transduction.
- This direct inhibition provides a molecular basis for the observed antagonistic cross-talk between Wingless and Notch pathways in Drosophila development.