ARMADILLO AND DTCF - A MARRIAGE MADE IN THE NUCLEUS

Within the past year, Armadillo and beta-catenin's role in transducing the Wingless/Wnt signal has been substantially clarified. It is now c lear that Armadillo and beta-catenin bind directly to members of the T -cell factor/lymphoid enhancer factor subfamily of HMG box DNA-binding proteins, forming bipartite transcription factors that regulate Wingl ess/Wnt responsive genes in both Drosophila and vertebrates. These par tners not only play key roles in a variety of cell fate decisions duri ng normal development but, when inappropriately activated, contribute to both colon cancer and melanoma.