Hh and Wnt signalling Flashcards
What are the 2 major signal transduction pathways?
What 4 things are they involved in?
Hh and Wnt
Involved in:
- Patterning of many tissues/development of many organs
- Regulation of stem cell fate/cell division
- Maintenance and initiation of cancer
- SEGMENT POLARITY
Where were Hh and Wg discovered?
In drosophila
How was Hh discovered?
What does this show about Hh?
In Hh mutation:
- Lawn of denticles due to loss of naked cuticle formation
Shows that the normal function of the Hh gene is for the formation of the naked cuticle (between the dentical belts)
What is wg?
What happens if there is a mutation in wg? Why?
Wingless
- Mutant phenotype looks very similar to Hh mutant phenotype
- As Wg and Hh form a mutual feedback loop with each other (both needed for the expression of each other)
- So, when lose Wg expression, lose Hh expression
Where was int1 discovered?
What did this gene do? What did th
In mice
How was Wnt names?
- Int1 was discovered independently to wg in mice
- Has the same function as wg
- Amalgamation of the 2 names to form wnt
Do C.elegans have hh?
No
Do vertebrates have hh?
Yes, have MANY orthologues:
- Shh
- Desert hh
- Indian hh
How many wnt copies are there of the wg gene?
> 18
What domains does the Hh protein have?
- Protein has signal sequence which makes sure the protein goes into the SECRETORY PATHWAY
- Proteolytic domain
What is the function in the proteolytic domain of the Hh protein?
Auto cleaves itself (autoproteolysis)
When is the signal sequence of the protein cleaved off?
Once the protein is in the secretory pathway
How is the Hh ligand created?
- Signal sequence drives the protein into the secretory pathway cleaved off
- Proteolytic domain is cleaved off
- At the same time - cholesterol modification to the C-terminus
- Palmitoylation of the N-terminus
Why is Hh protein very insoluble in water?
It is stuck to the membrane due to:
- Cholesterol modification at the C-terminus
- Palmitolaytion of the N-terminus
Which proteins are required to allow the Hh protein to diffuse and allow long-range signalling?
What do these proteins do?
1) Dispatched
2) Scube proteins
3) HSPG
These proteins help to load the Hh gene into lipoprotein particles that diffuse away from the signalling cell to the receiving cell
Where are Scube proteins present?
In VERTEBRATES only
Instead of lipoproteins, what else can be used to help the signalling molecules move between cells?
Cytonemes
How is the Wnt ligand created?
- Signal sequence drives the protein into the secretory pathway
- 2 modifications then on the protein:
- Palymitolaytion
- Palmitoleic acid
What causes Wnt to be very insoluble in water?
Where do these modifications direct the protein to?
Fatty acid modifications:
- Palymitolaytion
- Palmitoleic acid
These modifications direct the protein to the cell membrane
What proteins help Wnt to diffuse away from the membrane?
1) Wntless
2) HSPG
3) Lipoproteins or cytonemes
What are cytonemes or lipoproteins required for?
Long term signalling
What are cytonemes?
Thin protrusions from the cell
What occurs in cytonemes?
- Signalling molecule accumulates in the tip of the cytonemes
- Cytonemes move away from the cell and touch a receiving cell - to induce the signal in that cell
What occurs at the cell membrane when there is no Hh signalling?
Patched inhibits smoothened:
- Ptc is at the plasma membrane and prevents smoothened from reaching the plasma membrane
Describe Hh signalling at the cell membrane
Hh binds to PATCHED:
- Ptc is internalised and degraded
- Relocation, accumulation and phosphoylation of smoothened at the plasma membrane
- Smoothened can now initiate the signalling complex
What receptor is the positive signalling component of the hh pathway?
Smoothened
How many transmembrane domains does Patched have?
12
How does patched inhibit smoothened?
- One molecules of patched inhibits MANY molecules of smoothened
- Ptc regulates the subcellular distribution and stability of smo in an enzymatic way
In vertebrates, what are the focal points for Hh sensing?
How?
Cilia:
- Accumulate ptc if theres is no shh around
Whn shh around:
- Ptc is redistributed AWAY from the cilium
- Smo can now enter the cilium
- Shh signalling can occur
How were cilia discovered?
In mice:
Mutations in cilia formation - looked similar to mice with a defect in shh signalling
What happens intracellularly when hh is NOT bound to ptc?
TF Ci is kept OUT of the nucleus