Reactome | Formation of the beta-catenin:TCF transactivating complex

Formation of the beta-catenin:TCF transactivating complex

Stable Identifier

R-HSA-201722

Type

Pathway

Species

Homo sapiens

Compartment

nucleoplasm

ReviewStatus

5/5

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Formation of the beta-catenin:TCF transactivating complex

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Once in the nucleus, beta-catenin is recruited to WNT target genes through interaction with TCF/LEF transcription factors. This family, which consists of TCF7 (also known as TCF1), TCF7L1 (also known as TCF3), TCF7L2 (also known as TCF4) and TCF7L3 (also known as LEF1), are HMG-containing transcription factors that bind to the WNT responsive elements in target gene promoters (reviewed in Brantjes et al, 2002). In the absence of WNT signal, TCF/LEF proteins recruit Groucho/TLE repressors to inhibit transcription; upon WNT stimulation, beta-catenin can displace Groucho/TLE from TCF/LEF proteins to initiate transcriptional activation (reviewed in Chen and Courey, 2000). Although this model for WNT-dependent activation of target genes is widely accepted, it is important to note that TCF/LEF proteins are not redundant and can contribute to WNT target gene expression in a number of different ways (reviewed in Brantjes et al, 2002; MacDonald et al, 2009). In particular, TCF7L1 (TCF3) is thought to have a more pronounced repressor function than other TCF/LEF family members. A couple of recent studies in Xenopus and mammalian cells show that WNT- and beta-catenin-dependent phosphorylation of TCF7L1(TCF3) promotes its dissociation from the promoter of target genes and allows gene expression through relief of this repression activity (Hikasa et al, 2010; Hikasa et al, 2011).

The role of beta-catenin at WNT promoters hinges upon its ability to act as a scaffold for the recruitment of other proteins. The structure of beta-catenin consists of 12 imperfect ARM repeats (R1-12) flanked by an N-terminal and C-terminal extension (NTD and CTD respectively), with a conserved Helix C located between R12 and the CTD. Nuclear beta-catenin interacts with TCF/LEF at WNT target genes through ARM domains 3-9 (Graham et al, 2000; Poy et al, 2001; Xing et al, 2008). The N and the C terminal regions are important for the recruitment of transcriptional activator and repressors that contribute to WNT target gene expression (reviewed in Mosimann et al, 2009; Valenta et al, 2012). The N-terminal ARM domains 1-4 recruit the WNT-pathway specific activators BCL9:PYGO while the C-terminal region (R11-CTD) interacts with a wide range of general transcriptional activators that are involved in chromatin remodelling and transcription initiation. These include HATs such as P300, CBP and TIP60, histone methyltransferases such as MLL1 and 2, SWI/SNF factors BRG1 and ISWI and components of the PAF complex (reviewed in Mosimann et al, 2009; Valenta et al, 2012). Although many binding partners have been identified for the C-terminal region of beta-catenin, in many cases the timing and relationship of these interactions and indeed, the exact complex composition remains to be elucidated. Moreover, because many of the interacting partners appear to bind to overlapping regions of beta-catenin, it is unlikely that they all bind simultaneously. For simplicity, the interactions have been depicted as though they occur independently of one another; more accurately they are likely to cycle successively on and off beta-catenin to promote an active chromatin structure (reviewed in Willert and Jones, 2006; Valenta et al, 2012).

Literature References

PubMed ID	Title	Journal	Year
20951344	Regulation of TCF3 by Wnt-dependent phosphorylation during vertebrate axis specification Li, X, Hikasa, H, Klymkowsky, MW, Ezan, J, Sokol, SY, Itoh, K	Dev. Cell	2010
22617422	The many faces and functions of ?-catenin Valenta, T, Hausmann, G, Basler, K	EMBO J.	2012
21285352	Phosphorylation of TCF proteins by homeodomain-interacting protein kinase 2 Hikasa, H, Sokol, SY	J. Biol. Chem.	2011
11713476	Structure of a human Tcf4-beta-catenin complex Lepourcelet, M, Shivdasani, RA, Eck, MJ, Poy, F	Nat Struct Biol	2001
11136974	Crystal structure of a beta-catenin/Tcf complex Xu, W, Mao, F, Graham, TA, Weaver, C, Kimelman, D	Cell	2000
11934263	TCF: Lady Justice casting the final verdict on the outcome of Wnt signalling Barker, N, Clevers, HC, Brantjes, H, van Es, J	Biol. Chem.	2002
19305417	Beta-catenin hits chromatin: regulation of Wnt target gene activation Mosimann, C, Hausmann, G, Basler, K	Nat. Rev. Mol. Cell Biol.	2009
19619488	Wnt/beta-catenin signaling: components, mechanisms, and diseases MacDonald, BT, Tamai, K, He, X	Dev Cell	2009
10831834	Groucho/TLE family proteins and transcriptional repression Chen, G, Courey, AJ	Gene	2000
18334222	Crystal structure of a full-length beta-catenin Xu, W, Berndt, JD, Xing, Y, Zheng, JJ, Liu, J, Takemaru, K, Moon, RT	Structure	2008
16751178	Wnt signaling: is the party in the nucleus? Jones, KA, Willert, K	Genes Dev.	2006