AUTHOR=Rezaei-Lotfi Saba , Hunter Neil , Farahani Ramin M. 

TITLE=β-Catenin: A Metazoan Filter for Biological Noise?

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Genetics

VOLUME=Volume 10 - 2019

YEAR=2019

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/genetics/articles/10.3389/fgene.2019.01004

DOI=10.3389/fgene.2019.01004

ISSN=1664-8021

ABSTRACT=Molecular noise refers to random fluctuations of biological signals that facilitate phenotypic heterogeneity in a population. While endogenous mechanisms exist to limit genetic noise in biological systems, such restrictions are sometimes removed in order to propel phenotypic variability as an adaptive strategy. Herein, we review the evidence for potential role of β-catenin in restricting gene expression noise by transcriptional and post-transcriptional mechanisms. We discuss mechanisms that restrict intrinsic noise subsequent to nuclear mobilization of β-catenin. Nuclear β-catenin promotes transcription initiation but buffers against the resultant noise by restraining transcription elongation. Acceleration of cell cycle mediated via Wnt/β-catenin downstream signals further diminishes intrinsic noise by curtailing the efficiency of protein synthesis. Extrinsic noise, on the other hand, is restricted by β-catenin-mediated regulation of major cellular stress pathways.