- Liu, Xiaoliang;
- Yam, Patricia T;
- Schlienger, Sabrina;
- Cai, Eva;
- Zhang, Jingyi;
- Chen, Wei-Ju;
- Torres Gutierrez, Oscar;
- Jimenez Amilburu, Vanesa;
- Ramamurthy, Vasanth;
- Ting, Alice Y;
- Branon, Tess C;
- Cayouette, Michel;
- Gen, Risako;
- Marks, Tessa;
- Kong, Jennifer H;
- Charron, Frédéric;
- Ge, Xuecai
Hedgehog (Hh) signaling relies on the primary cilium, a cell surface organelle that serves as a signaling hub for the cell. Using proximity labeling and quantitative proteomics, we identify Numb as a ciliary protein that positively regulates Hh signaling. Numb localizes to the ciliary pocket and acts as an endocytic adaptor to incorporate Ptch1 into clathrin-coated vesicles, thereby promoting Ptch1 exit from the cilium, a key step in Hh signaling activation. Numb loss impedes Sonic hedgehog (Shh)-induced Ptch1 exit from the cilium, resulting in reduced Hh signaling. Numb loss in spinal neural progenitors reduces Shh-induced differentiation into cell fates reliant on high Hh activity. Genetic ablation of Numb in the developing cerebellum impairs the proliferation of granule cell precursors, a Hh-dependent process, resulting in reduced cerebellar size. This study highlights Numb as a regulator of ciliary Ptch1 levels during Hh signal activation and demonstrates the key role of ciliary pocket-mediated endocytosis in cell signaling.