Premium
DAPLE links heterotrimeric G proteins to Wnt signaling during vertebrate development
Author(s) -
Marvin Arthur,
DiGiacomo Vincent,
Leyme Anthony,
GarciaMarcos Mikel
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.31.1_supplement.619.3
Subject(s) - heterotrimeric g protein , wnt signaling pathway , microbiology and biotechnology , biology , frizzled , xenopus , g protein coupled receptor , signal transduction , g protein , signal transducing adaptor protein , genetics , gene
Precise control of heterotrimeric G protein signaling is essential for various physiological processes, including embryonic development, and failure in this process causes multiple diseases. We have previously identified new players in the activation cycle of heterotrimeric G proteins that bind and activate Gα subunits via an evolutionary conserved motif. More specifically, we have found that some non‐receptor proteins mimic the action of G Protein‐coupled receptors (GPCRs) by working as Guanine nucleotide Exchange Factors (GEFs). One of these proteins, namely DAPLE, is a previously described regulator of Wnt signaling that binds to a key adaptor of the Wnt signaling machinery, i.e., Dishevelled (Dvl). Despite the known pivotal role of Wnt signaling in early steps of the embryonic development, the role of DAPLE in this process is unknown. Using Xenopus laevis as a model organism, we observed that DAPLE regulates Wnt signaling during vertebrate development and that it does so through coupling to heterotrimeric G proteins. These findings provide in vivo evidence for the functionality of this group of non‐receptor GEFs characterized by a defined Gα binding and activating motif and delineate a novel molecular mechanism linking Wnt signaling and G proteins during vertebrate embryonic development. Support or Funding Information NIH R01GM112631 and the Hartwell Foundation