Dapper, a Dishevelled-associated antagonist of β-catenin and JNK signaling, is required for notochord formation

Dapper was isolated in a screen for proteins interacting with Dishevelled, a key factor in Wnt signaling. Dapper and Dishevelled colocalize intracellularly and form a complex with Axin, GSK-3, CKI, and β-catenin. Overexpression of Dapper increases Axin and GSK-3 in this complex, resulting in decreased soluble β-catenin and decreased activation of β-catenin-responsive genes. Dapper also inhibits activation by Dishevelled of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), a component of β-catenin-independent Frizzled signaling. Inhibition of Dapper activates both β-catenin-responsive genes and an AP1-responsive promoter, demonstrating that Dapper is a general Dishevelled antagonist. Depletion of maternal Dapper RNA from Xenopus embryos results in loss of notochord and head structures, demonstrating that Dapper is required for normal vertebrate development.