The fully linked HTML version of this article has now been published.
Development ePress online publication date 15 Nov 2006
doi: 10.1242/dev.02674
Research article
Sprinter: a novel transmembrane protein required for Wg secretion and signaling
Robyn M. Goodman,
Shreya Thombre,
Zeynep Firtina,
Dione Gray,
Daniella Betts,
Jamie Roebuck,
Eric P. Spana,
and
Erica M. Selva*
* Author for correspondence (e-mail: selva{at}udel.edu)
Wingless (Wg) is a secreted ligand that differentially activates gene expression in target tissues. It belongs to the Wnt family of secreted signaling molecules that regulate cell-to-cell interactions during development. Activation of Wg targets is dependent on the ligand concentration in the extracellular milieu; cellular mechanisms that govern the synthesis, delivery and receipt of Wg are elaborate and complex. We have identified sprinter (srt), which encodes a novel, evolutionarily conserved transmembrane protein required for the transmission of the Wg signal. Mutations in srt cause the accumulation of Wg in cells that express it, and retention of the ligand prevents activation of its target genes in signal-receiving cells. In the absence of Srt activity, levels of Wg targets (including Engrailed in embryos lacking maternal and zygotic srt, and Senseless and Achaete in wing discs) are reduced. Activation of Wg targets in the receiving cells does not require srt. Hence, the function of Srt is restricted to events occurring within the Wg-producing cells. We show that srt is not required for any aspect of Hedgehog (Hh) signal transduction, suggesting specificity of srt for the Wg pathway. We propose that srt encodes a protein required for Wg secretion that regulates maturation, membrane targeting or delivery of Wg. Loss of srt function in turn diminishes Wg-pathway activation in receiving cells.

CiteULike
Complore
Connotea
Del.icio.us
Digg
Reddit
Technorati
Twitter What's this?
This article has been cited by other articles:

|
 |

|
 |
 
J. Fu, M. Jiang, A. J. Mirando, H.-M. I. Yu, and W. Hsu
Reciprocal regulation of Wnt and Gpr177/mouse Wntless is required for embryonic axis formation
PNAS,
November 3, 2009;
106(44):
18598 - 18603.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
H. Kim, S.-M. Cheong, J. Ryu, H.-J. Jung, E.-h. Jho, and J.-K. Han
Xenopus Wntless and the Retromer Complex Cooperate To Regulate XWnt4 Secretion
Mol. Cell. Biol.,
April 15, 2009;
29(8):
2118 - 2128.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
T. Adell, E. Salo, M. Boutros, and K. Bartscherer
Smed-Evi/Wntless is required for {beta}-catenin-dependent and -independent processes during planarian regeneration
Development,
March 15, 2009;
136(6):
905 - 910.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
R. Nusse, C. Fuerer, W. Ching, K. Harnish, C. Logan, A. Zeng, D. ten Berge, and Y. Kalani
Wnt Signaling and Stem Cell Control
Cold Spring Harb Symp Quant Biol,
November 26, 2008;
(2008)
sqb.2008.73.035v2.
[Abstract]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
W. Ching, H. C. Hang, and R. Nusse
Lipid-independent Secretion of a Drosophila Wnt Protein
J. Biol. Chem.,
June 20, 2008;
283(25):
17092 - 17098.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
X. Franch-Marro, F. Wendler, J. Griffith, M. M. Maurice, and J.-P. Vincent
In vivo role of lipid adducts on Wingless
J. Cell Sci.,
May 15, 2008;
121(10):
1587 - 1592.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|
© The Company of Biologists Ltd 2006