Regulation of Gli2 and Gli3 activities by an amino-terminal repression domain: implication of Gli2 and Gli3 as primary mediators of Shh signaling

• DOI: 10.1242/dev.126.17.3915
• Publication Date: 2021-04-26T03:48:17Z
• Authors: Hiroshi Sasaki; Yuriko Nishizaki; Chi-chung Hui; Masato Nakafuku; Hisato Kondoh
• Keywords: GLI3; GLI2; GLI1

Gli family zinc finger proteins are mediators of Sonic hedgehog (Shh) signaling in vertebrates. The question remains unanswered, however, as to how these participate the Shh pathway. In this study, regulatory activities associated with Gli2 protein were investigated relation signaling. Although acts a weak transcriptional activator, it is fact composite positive and negative domains. cultured cells, truncation activation domain C-terminal half results repressor activity, while removal repression at N terminus converts into strong activator. transgenic mouse embryos, N-terminally truncated Gli2, unlike full length protein, activates target gene, HNF3beta, dorsal neural tube, thus mimicking effect signal. This suggests that unmasking potential through modulation N-terminal one key mechanisms A similar mechanism involving region was also found for Gli3, but not Gli1. When signal derived from notochord received by plate, widely expressed Gli3 presumably converted their active forms ventral leading transcription genes, including