title: Beta-catenin: a key mediator of Wnt signaling.
abstract: Beta-catenin is a pivotal player in the signaling pathway initiated by Wnt proteins, mediators of several developmental processes. beta-catenin activity is controlled by a large number of binding partners that affect the stability and the localization of beta-catenin and is thereby able to participate in such varying processes as gene expression and cell adhesion. Activating mutations in beta-catenin and in components regulating its stability can contribute to the formation of certain tumors.
authors.affiliation: Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Developmental Biology, Backman Center, Stanford University Medical Center, California 94305, USA. willert@cmgm.stanford.edu
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Willert
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nusse
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D006801:Humans; D051821:Lymphoid Enhancer-Binding Factor 1; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D015534:Trans-Activators; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D051155:Wnt1 Protein; D051176:beta Catenin
chemical_list: C495270:CTNNB1 protein, human; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D051821:Lymphoid Enhancer-Binding Factor 1; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D015534:Trans-Activators; D014157:Transcription Factors; D051155:Wnt1 Protein; D051176:beta Catenin; C074622:wg protein, Drosophila