A uniform human Wnt expression library reveals a shared secretory pathway and unique signaling activities.

ABSTRACT: Wnt ligands are secreted morphogens that control multiple developmental processes during embryogenesis and adult homeostasis. A diverse set of receptors and signals have been linked to individual Wnts, but the lack of tools for comparative analysis has limited the ability to determine which of these signals are general for the entire Wnt family, and which define subsets of differently acting ligands. We have created a versatile Gateway library of clones for all 19 human Wnts. An analysis comparing epitope-tagged and untagged versions of each ligand shows that despite their similar expression at the mRNA level, Wnts exhibit considerable variation in stability, processing and secretion. At least 14 out of the 19 Wnts activate β-catenin-dependent signaling, an activity that is cell type-depen

SUBMITTER: Najdi R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4015730 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature