Project description:The Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway is a critical regulator of development and stem cell maintenance. Mounting evidence suggests that the context-specific outcome of Wnt signaling is determined by the collaborative action of multiple transcription factors, including members of the highly conserved forkhead box (FOX) protein family. The contribution of FOX transcription factors to Wnt signaling has not been investigated in a systemic manner. Here, by combining β-catenin reporter assays with Wnt pathway-focused qPCR arrays and proximity proteomics of selected FOX family members, we determine that most FOX proteins are involved in the regulation of Wnt pathway activity and the expression of Wnt ligands and target genes. We conclude that FOX proteins are common regulators of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway that may control the outcome of Wnt signaling in a tissue-specific manner.
Project description:Bats are natural reservoirs for a large range of emerging viruses that cause lethal diseases in humans and domestic animals, but remain asymptomatic in bats. Understanding the host-pathogen interactions relies on the availability of relevant models including susceptible cells, derived from viral target tissues. To obtain bat cell types pertinent for the study of viral infection, we applied somatic reprogramming approach to Pteropus primary cells as initial substrates. Using the novel combination of three transcription factors: ESRRB, CDX2 and c-MYC, we generated reprogrammed cells exhibiting stem cells features.