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Armadillo/β-catenin signals in the nucleus – proof beyond a reasonable doubt?

Nature Cell Biology volume 5, pages 179–182 (2003)Cite this article

Abstract

Wnt signalling results in transcriptional stimulation of genes controlling normal and malignant development. A key effector of the canonical Wnt pathway is β-catenin (also known as Drosophila melanogaster Armadillo (Arm)), thought to function as a nuclear co-activator of TCF transcription factors. This has been challenged by unexpected observations of membrane-bound Arm/β-catenin signalling activity. Plausible explanations allow these observations to be reconciled with the large body of evidence supporting a nuclear function of Arm/β-catenin.

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Figure 1: β-catenin/Arm and its binding partners.
Figure 2: Nuclear location of β-catenin and its binding partners.

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Acknowledgements

We thank M. Peifer, E. Wieschaus, R. Grosschedl, R. Moon, M. van de Wetering and M. Freeman for discussion, and D. McClay for the sea urchin image.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Hills Road, Cambridge, CB2 2QH, UK

    Mariann Bienz

  2. Netherlands Institute for Developmental Biology, Uppsalalaan 8, Utrecht, 3584CT, The Netherlands

    Hans Clevers

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  1. Mariann Bienz
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  2. Hans Clevers
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Correspondence to Mariann Bienz.

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Bienz, M., Clevers, H. Armadillo/β-catenin signals in the nucleus – proof beyond a reasonable doubt?. Nat Cell Biol 5, 179–182 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1038/ncb0303-179

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