Insights into the Regulation of Yap/Taz from Cellular Systems and Mouse Models

Background: The Hippo signaling pathway serves as a main regulator of tissue growth and organ size through the moderation of cell cycle dynamics across many different species. In mammals, the two downstream transcriptional regulators of this pathway are Yes-associated protein (YAP) and transcriptional co-activator with PDZ binding motif (TAZ). Recent studies found in addition to the core Hippo signaling pathway, other signaling pathways can also regulate YAP/TAZ activity, either directly or through crosstalk with the Hippo pathway. Objective: In this review, we discuss what is known about the regulation of YAP/TAZ from studies conducted using both cell line and mouse models. Conclusion: To add to the complexity of YAP/TAZ regulation, the activity of YAP/TAZ is also controlled by mechanical and cytoskeletal cues and by multiple extracellular factors. Keywords: YAP/TAZ, Hippo, regulation, mechanotransduction, signaling pathway, mouse genetics.