Brachyury is a target gene of the Wnt/beta-catenin signaling pathway

Mech Dev. 2000 Mar 1;91(1-2):249-58. doi: 10.1016/s0925-4773(99)00309-3.

Abstract

To identify target genes of the Wnt/beta-catenin signaling pathway in early mouse embryonic development we have established a co-culture system consisting of NIH3T3 fibroblasts expressing different Wnts as feeder layer cells and embryonic stem (ES) cells expressing a green fluorescent protein (GFP) reporter gene transcriptionally regulated by the TCF/beta-catenin complex. ES cells specifically respond to Wnt signal as monitored by GFP expression. In GFP-positive ES cells we observe expression of Brachyury. Two TCF binding sites located in a 500 bp Brachyury promoter fragment bind the LEF-1/beta-catenin complex and respond specifically to beta-catenin-dependent transactivation. From these results we conclude that Brachyury is a target gene for Wnt/beta-catenin signaling.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • 3T3 Cells
  • Animals
  • Base Sequence
  • Cytoskeletal Proteins / genetics
  • Cytoskeletal Proteins / metabolism*
  • Fetal Proteins*
  • Gene Expression
  • Mice
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Promoter Regions, Genetic
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins / genetics
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins / metabolism*
  • Signal Transduction*
  • T-Box Domain Proteins / genetics*
  • Trans-Activators*
  • Transcriptional Activation
  • Wnt Proteins
  • Zebrafish Proteins*
  • beta Catenin

Substances

  • CTNNB1 protein, mouse
  • Cytoskeletal Proteins
  • Fetal Proteins
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins
  • T-Box Domain Proteins
  • Trans-Activators
  • Wnt Proteins
  • Zebrafish Proteins
  • beta Catenin
  • Brachyury protein