Cancer Institute A national cancer institute
designated cancer center

Roeland Nusse

Publication Details

  • Wnt-induced dephosphorylation of axin releases beta-catenin from the axin complex.

    Willert K, Shibamoto S, Nusse R. Genes Dev. 1999; 13 (14): 1768-73

    The stabilization of beta-catenin is a key regulatory step during cell fate changes and transformations to tumor cells. Several interacting proteins, including Axin, APC, and the protein kinase GSK-3beta are implicated in regulating beta-catenin phosphorylation and its subsequent degradation. Wnt signaling stabilizes beta-catenin, but it was not clear whether and how Wnt signaling regulates the beta-catenin complex. Here we show that Axin is dephosphorylated in response to Wnt signaling. The dephosphorylated Axin binds beta-catenin less efficiently than the phosphorylated form. Thus, Wnt signaling lowers Axin's affinity for beta-catenin, thereby disengaging beta-catenin from the degradation machinery.

    PubMedID: 10421629

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