Notch/LIN-12 signaling: transduction by regulated protein slicing.
Intercellular signaling through the Notch/LIN-12 transmembrane receptors regulates growth and differentiation during animal development. Moreover, defects in the conserved Notch/LIN-12 pathway are linked to human diseases. Here, we review models for two key steps in Notch/LIN-12 signaling: ligand-mediated activation of the receptor and receptor-mediated activation of transcription. Ligand binding appears to permit proteolysis of the receptor; as a result, the receptor's intracellular domain can enter the nucleus and function as a transcriptional co-activator.
Kimble
J
J
Dept of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA. jekimble@facstaff.wisc.edu
Henderson
S
S
Crittenden
S
S
D000818:Animals; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D015801:Helminth Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008024:Ligands; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D008954:Models, Biological; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000502:physiology*; D051880:Receptors, Notch; D015398:Signal Transduction; D015533:Transcriptional Activation
D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D015801:Helminth Proteins; D008024:Ligands; C082460:Lin-12 protein, C elegans; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D051880:Receptors, Notch