title: Transduction of the Hedgehog signal through the dimerization of Fused and the nuclear translocation of Cubitus interruptus.
abstract: The Hedgehog (Hh) family of secreted proteins is essential for development in both vertebrates and invertebrates. As one of main morphogens during metazoan development, the graded Hh signal is transduced across the plasma membrane by Smoothened (Smo) through the differential phosphorylation of its cytoplasmic tail, leading to pathway activation and the differential expression of target genes. However, how Smo transduces the graded Hh signal via the Costal2 (Cos2)/Fused (Fu) complex remains poorly understood. Here we present a model of the cell response to a Hh gradient by translating Smo phosphorylation information to Fu dimerization and Cubitus interruptus (Ci) nuclear localization information. Our findings suggest that the phosphorylated C-terminus of Smo recruits the Cos2/Fu complex to the membrane through the interaction between Smo and Cos2, which further induces Fu dimerization. Dimerized Fu is phosphorylated and transduces the Hh signal by phosphorylating Cos2 and Suppressor of Fu (Su(fu)). We further show that this process promotes the dissociation of the full-length Ci (Ci155) and Cos2 or Su(fu), and results in the translocation of Ci155 into the nucleus, activating the expression of target genes.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China.
authors.forename: Yanyan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Feifei
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mao
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Wenqing
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhao
mesh_terms: D021581:Active Transport, Cell Nucleus / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster; D053823:Hedgehog Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D016547:Kinesins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D010766:Phosphorylation / Q000502:physiology; D055503:Protein Multimerization / Q000502:physiology*; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology*; D000072086:Smoothened Receptor; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D053823:Hedgehog Proteins; D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled; D000072086:Smoothened Receptor; D014157:Transcription Factors; C092937:ci protein, Drosophila; C107452:cos protein, Drosophila; C100664:smo protein, Drosophila; C077245:hh protein, Drosophila; C085770:fu protein, Drosophila; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D016547:Kinesins