Physical and Functional Interactions between Zic and Gli Proteins

• Published in: The Journal of biological chemistry Vol. 276; no. 10; pp. 6889 - 6892
• Main Authors: Koyabu, Yoshio, Nakata, Katsunori, Mizugishi, Kiyomi, Aruga, Jun, Mikoshiba, Katsuhiko
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 09.03.2001; American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
• Subjects: 3T3 Cells; Animals; Cell Line; Cell Nucleus - metabolism; Gene Deletion; Gli protein; Glutathione Transferase - metabolism; Hedgehog protein; Hedgehog Proteins; Homeodomain Proteins; Humans; Luciferases - metabolism; Mice; Nuclear Proteins; Oncogene Proteins - chemistry; Oncogene Proteins - metabolism; Plasmids - metabolism; Precipitin Tests; Protein Binding; Proteins - metabolism; Signal Transduction; Trans-Activators; Transcription Factors - chemistry; Transcription Factors - metabolism; Transcription, Genetic; Transfection; Zic protein; zinc finger; Zinc Finger Protein GLI1; Zinc Fingers
• ISSN: 0021-9258; 1083-351X
• DOI: 10.1074/jbc.C000773200

Zic and Gli family proteins are transcription factors that share similar zinc finger domains. Recent studies indicate that Zic and Gli collaborate in neural and skeletal development. We provide evidence that the Zic and Gli proteins physically and functionally interact through their zinc finger domains. Moreover, Gli proteins were translocated to cell nuclei by coexpressed Zic proteins, and both proteins regulated each other's transcriptional activity. Our result suggests that the physical interaction between Zic and Gli is the molecular basis of their antagonistic or synergistic features in developmental contexts and that Zic proteins are potential modulators of the hedgehog-mediated signaling pathway.