title: The cytoskeletal protein Zyxin inhibits Shh signaling during the CNS patterning in Xenopus laevis through interaction with the transcription factor Gli1.
abstract: Zyxin is a cytoskeletal protein that controls cell movements by regulating actin filaments assembly, but it can also modulate gene expression owing to its interactions with the proteins involved in signaling cascades. Therefore, identification of proteins that interact with Zyxin in embryonic cells is a promising way to unravel mechanisms responsible for coupling of two major components of embryogenesis: morphogenetic movements and cell differentiation. Now we show that in Xenopus laevis embryos Zyxin can bind to and suppress activity of the primary effector of Sonic hedgehog (Shh) signaling cascade, the transcription factor Gli1. By using loss- and gain-of-function approaches, we demonstrate that Zyxin is essential for reduction of Shh signaling within the dorsal part of the neural tube of X. laevis embryo. Thus, our finding discloses a novel function of Zyxin in fine tuning of the central neural system patterning which is based on the ventral-to-dorsal gradient of Shh signaling.
authors.affiliation: Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 117997, Russia.
authors.forename: Natalia Y
authors.initials: NY
authors.lastname: Martynova
authors.forename: Ludmila V
authors.initials: LV
authors.lastname: Ermolina
authors.forename: Galina V
authors.initials: GV
authors.lastname: Ermakova
authors.forename: Fedor M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Eroshkin
authors.forename: Fatima K
authors.initials: FK
authors.lastname: Gyoeva
authors.forename: Natalia S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Baturina
authors.forename: Andrey G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Zaraisky
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D019521:Body Patterning; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000196:embryology*; D003599:Cytoskeleton / Q000378:metabolism; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000378:metabolism; D017353:Gene Deletion; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D053823:Hedgehog Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism; D015513:Oncogene Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D015398:Signal Transduction; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000378:metabolism*; D020798:Two-Hybrid System Techniques; D029867:Xenopus Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D014982:Xenopus laevis / Q000196:embryology*; D000071676:Zinc Finger Protein GLI1; D060589:Zyxin / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D053823:Hedgehog Proteins; D015513:Oncogene Proteins; C558166:Shh protein, Xenopus; D015534:Trans-Activators; D029867:Xenopus Proteins; D000071676:Zinc Finger Protein GLI1; D060589:Zyxin; C529378:zyx protein, Xenopus