Ascl2 acts as an R-spondin/Wnt responsive switch to control stemness in intestinal crypts [array]
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ABSTRACT: Wnt signals control three functions of intestinal crypts: maintenance of Lgr5 stem cells, proliferation of transit-amplifying daughters and formation of Paneth cells. Here, we study how the Wnt effector β-catenin/Tcf4 cooperates with the Wnt-activated transcription factor Ascl2 to control a stem cell transcription program. DNA elements that are co-occupied and synergistically regulated by Ascl2 and Tcf4 specifically map to stem cell genes. In vitro, Tcf4-/- mini-guts are rescued by Ascl2 expression, while Ascl2-/- organoids are rescued by Wnt signaling. A direct auto-activatory loop leads to an on/off expression pattern of Ascl2 with a threshold that depends on the previous state. Wnt/R-spondin1 activates this loop. This mechanism interprets Wnt levels in crypts and translates this continuous signal into a discrete Ascl2 “on” or “off” decision. In turn Ascl2, together with β-catenin/Tcf, activates stem cell genes. Thus, Ascl2 forms a transcriptional 'stemness switch' that is both Wnt-responsive and Wnt-dependent.
ORGANISM(S): Mus musculus
PROVIDER: GSE57053 | GEO | 2014/12/31
SECONDARY ACCESSION(S): PRJNA245327
REPOSITORIES: GEO
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