Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42393221›Full record

ArticleNature genetics2026

Mutational scanning reveals substrate-assisted autoregulation of the WNT destruction complex.

Murugesh Padmanarayana, Saira Sakalas, Parijat Sarkar, Mengxiao Ma, Ethan R Garvin, Ethan Lee, Steven M Corsello, Sebastian Guettler, Ganesh V Pusapati, Rajat Rohatgi

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Nature genetics, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Murugesh Padmanarayana *Department of Biochemistry, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.
Saira SakalasDivisions of Structural Biology and Cell and Molecular Biology, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK.
Parijat SarkarDepartment of Biochemistry, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9435-5600
Mengxiao MaDepartment of Biochemistry, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.
Ethan R GarvinDepartment of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3609-6457
Ethan LeeDepartment of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8405-6156
Steven M CorselloDepartment of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9929-3709
Sebastian GuettlerDivisions of Structural Biology and Cell and Molecular Biology, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3135-1546
Ganesh V Pusapati *Department of Biochemistry, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA. ganesh22@stanford.edu.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1406-2566
Rajat RohatgiDepartment of Biochemistry, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA. rrohatgi@stanford.edu.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7609-8858

Funding

Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center SPORE in Gastrointestinal CancerP50CA236733 · NCI · VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER · PI Robert J. Coffey · 2019 to 2026
$19.6M
Supplement application for an Olympus automated microscopeR35GM118082 · NIGMS · STANFORD UNIVERSITY · PI RAJAT ROHATGI · 2016 to 2026
$7.6M
Mechanism of Wnt signal transductionR35GM122516 · NIGMS · VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY · PI ETHAN LEE · 2017 to 2026
$5.8M
A Cereblon signaling network in Wnt-driven cancersR01CA281002 · NCI · DARTMOUTH COLLEGE · PI Yasmath Ahmed, ETHAN LEE · 2023 to 2026
$2.6M
Targeting casein kinase 1-alpha for cancer therapyK08CA230220 · NCI · STANFORD UNIVERSITY · PI CORSELLO, STEVEN MUNTEAN · 2018 to 2022
$1.0M
NCI NIH HHS K08 CA230220NCI NIH HHS P50 CA236733NCI NIH HHS R01 CA281002NIGMS NIH HHS R35 GM118082NIGMS NIH HHS R35 GM122516Pew Charitable Trusts Innovation Fund AwardU.S. Department of Health & Human Services | NIH | National Cancer Institute (NCI) CA230220U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | NIH | National Cancer Institute (NCI) CA236733U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | NIH | National Cancer Institute (NCI) CA281002U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | NIH | National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) GM118082U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | NIH | National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) GM122516
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The β-catenin destruction complex (BDC) regulates WNT-β-catenin signaling and is a prime therapeutic target in colorectal cancer, yet its biochemical complexity has hindered mechanistic understanding. We mapped the sequence-function landscape of the BDC using tiled base editor screens across its components CTNNB1, AXIN1, APC and GSK3B. Amongst ~150 previously unreported mutations that affected WNT signaling, we discovered gain-of-function and separation-of-function alleles that reveal mechanisms of complex assembly, including a β-catenin region regulating TCF/LEF transcription factor binding. Critically, we found that the AXIN1-β-catenin interface controls signaling flux through the oncogenic BDC found in APC-mutant cancers. In cells expressing truncated APC, β-catenin itself scaffolds BDC assembly, establishing a substrate-assisted autoregulatory mechanism. This architecture represents an unexploited therapeutic vulnerability: strengthening the AXIN1-β-catenin interaction restores destruction complex function and impairs the growth of colorectal cancer cells. Our mutational resource provides a foundation for mechanistic understanding and therapeutic targeting of the WNT pathway.

Indexed as

beta CateninColorectal NeoplasmsWnt Signaling PathwayAdenomatous Polyposis Coli ProteinAxin ProteinCell Line, TumorGlycogen Synthase Kinase 3 betaHomeostasisHumansMutationAdenomatous Polyposis Coli ProteinAPC protein, humanAXIN1 protein, humanAxin Proteinbeta CateninCTNNB1 protein, humanGlycogen Synthase Kinase 3 betaGSK3B protein, human

Identifiers

PMID42393221
PMCPMC13364647

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.