Dynamic expression of Lef/Tcf family members and beta-catenin during chick gastrulation, neurulation, and early limb development.
Members of the Lef/Tcf family of HMG-box transcription factors mediate the response to Wnt as part of the canonical Wnt signaling cascade. Positive and negative cofactors, including beta-catenin, CtBP, and Smad3, regulate the activity of Lef/Tcf transcription complexes. Interaction of Lef/Tcfs with beta-catenin results in target gene activation or repression, depending on the context. Here, we report the cloning of a novel chick Tcf-1 splice variant and of a partial cDNA for chick Tcf-3. We describe their expression patterns during early development and have compared them with the expression profiles of Lef-1 and beta-catenin. We found restricted patterns during gastrulation, neurulation, somitogenesis, and early limb development. beta-catenin and Lef/Tcf expression did not always coincide, indicating developmental contexts in which Lef/Tcf proteins may interact with other cofactors and conversely, the areas in which beta-catenin may interact with other coregulators, or be involved in regulating adhesive properties of cells.
University of Dundee, School of Life Sciences Biocentre, Dundee, Scotland, United Kingdom.
Maike
M
Schmidt
Margaret
M
Patterson
Elizabeth
E
Farrell
Andrea
A
Münsterberg
D000818:Animals; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D002642:Chick Embryo; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000378:metabolism; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000378:metabolism; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000378:metabolism; D005121:Extremities / Q000196:embryology*; D005775:Gastrula / Q000378:metabolism*; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D024742:HMG-Box Domains; D024002:HMGB Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D051821:Lymphoid Enhancer-Binding Factor 1; D008957:Models, Genetic; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism*; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015398:Signal Transduction; D051900:Smad3 Protein; D051822:T Cell Transcription Factor 1; D051820:TCF Transcription Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000378:metabolism; D058125:Transcription Factor 7-Like 1 Protein; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D015533:Transcriptional Activation; D051176:beta Catenin
D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D024002:HMGB Proteins; D051821:Lymphoid Enhancer-Binding Factor 1; D051900:Smad3 Protein; D051822:T Cell Transcription Factor 1; D051820:TCF Transcription Factors; D015534:Trans-Activators; D058125:Transcription Factor 7-Like 1 Protein; D014157:Transcription Factors; D051176:beta Catenin