| First Author | Endoh-Yamagami S | Year | 2009 |
| Journal | Curr Biol | Volume | 19 |
| Issue | 15 | Pages | 1320-6 |
| PubMed ID | 19592253 | Mgi Jnum | J:152551 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:4359116 | Doi | 10.1016/j.cub.2009.06.046 |
| Citation | Endoh-Yamagami S, et al. (2009) The mammalian Cos2 homolog Kif7 plays an essential role in modulating Hh signal transduction during development. Curr Biol 19(15):1320-6 |
| abstractText | The Hedgehog (Hh) signaling pathway regulates development in animals ranging from flies to humans. Although its framework is conserved, differences in pathway components have been reported. A kinesin-like protein, Costal2 (Cos2), plays a central role in the Hh pathway in flies. Knockdown of a zebrafish homolog of Cos2, Kif7, results in ectopic Hh signaling, suggesting that Kif7 acts primarily as a negative regulator of Hh signal transduction. However, in vitro analysis of the function of mammalian Kif7 and the closely related Kif27 has led to the conclusion that neither protein has a role in Hh signaling. Using Kif7 knockout mice, we demonstrate that mouse Kif7, like its zebrafish and Drosophila homologs, plays a role in transducing the Hh signal. We show that Kif7 accumulates at the distal tip of the primary cilia in a Hh-dependent manner. We also demonstrate a requirement for Kif7 in the efficient localization of Gli3 to cilia in response to Hh and for the processing of Gli3 to its repressor form. These results suggest a role for Kif7 in coordinating Hh signal transduction at the tip of cilia and preventing Gli3 cleavage into a repressor form in the presence of Hh. |
