Transgenic reporter tools tracing endogenous canonical Wnt signaling in Xenopus

Methods Mol Biol. 2008:469:381-400. doi: 10.1007/978-1-60327-469-2_24.

Abstract

Activation of the canonical Wnt pathway leads to the transcriptional activation of a particular subset of downstream Wnt target genes. To track this localized cellular output in a living organism, reporter constructs can be designed containing multimerized consensus lymphoid enhancer binding factor (LEF)-1/T cell factor (TCF) transcription factor binding sites, generally referred to as TCF optimal promoter (TOP) sites. In Xenopus, several Wnt-responsive reporter systems have been designed containing a number of these TOP sites that, in combination with a minimal promoter, drive the expression of a reporter gene. Following transgenic integration in Xenopus embryos, a Wnt reporter tool reveals the spatiotemporal delineation of endogenous Wnt pathway activities throughout development. Assumed to be a general readout of the Wnt pathway, such reporters can assist in elucidating unknown functional implications in developing Xenopus embryos.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Animals, Genetically Modified / genetics*
  • Animals, Genetically Modified / metabolism
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental*
  • Genes, Reporter*
  • Lymphoid Enhancer-Binding Factor 1 / genetics
  • Lymphoid Enhancer-Binding Factor 1 / metabolism
  • Signal Transduction / physiology*
  • Wnt Proteins / genetics
  • Wnt Proteins / metabolism*
  • Xenopus Proteins / genetics
  • Xenopus Proteins / metabolism
  • Xenopus laevis* / embryology
  • Xenopus laevis* / genetics
  • Xenopus laevis* / growth & development
  • Xenopus laevis* / metabolism

Substances

  • Lymphoid Enhancer-Binding Factor 1
  • Wnt Proteins
  • Xenopus Proteins