# Diversification of outputs from the Notch signaling mechanism

> **NIH NIH R15** · BOISE STATE UNIVERSITY · 2020 · $412,874

## Abstract

Project Summary
Notch signaling is a fundamental mechanism through which a majority of multicellular
animals regulate cell biology. Mammalian organisms express four Notch receptors that
are activated by nearly identical mechanisms. Many years of Notch research has led to
a dogma whereby active Notch fragments (NICD molecules) associate with a co-
transcription factor complex that in turn binds to DNA as either monomers, or as head-
to-head homodimers to drive transcription. There remain however significant gaps in our
understanding of Notch. Chief among these gaps are an understanding of how all the
Notch receptors are integrated to produce the overall Notch signaling output from a cell.
The main goal of this proposal is to address these gaps in knowledge. Our preliminary
results have now identified a novel mode of Notch signaling, heterodimerization between
different NICD molecules. Moreover, we have also determined that even different Notch
NICD homodimers display unique transcriptional activities on various synthetic
promoters. We hypothesize that both heterodimerization of NICD molecules and unique
promoter preferences of various NICD homodimers cooperate to diversify the Notch
signaling mechanism. To test this hypothesis, we propose two aims in which NICD
heterodimerization will be characterized based on the fundamental rules of
heterodimerization and the promoter binding activity of various NICD homodimers will be
compared. Given the critical importance of Notch signaling to cell biology under both
healthy and diseased states, these results will add fundamental knowledge that will be
valuable in the struggle to improve human health.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9813198
- **Project number:** 1R15GM134501-01
- **Recipient organization:** BOISE STATE UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Allan R Albig
- **Activity code:** R15 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $412,874
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2020-02-01 → 2023-01-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9813198

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9813198, Diversification of outputs from the Notch signaling mechanism (1R15GM134501-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9813198. Licensed CC0.

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