Founding the Wnt gene family: How wingless was found to be a positional signal and oncogene homolog.
Bioessays
; 46(2): e2300156, 2024 02.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-38214693
ABSTRACT
The Wnt family of developmental regulators were named after the Drosophila segmentation gene wingless and the murine proto-oncogene int-1. Homology between these two genes connected oncogenesis to cell-cell signals in development. I review how wingless was initially characterized, and cloned, as part of the quest to identify developmental cell-to-cell signals, based on predictions of the Positional Information Model, and on the properties of homeotic and segmentation gene mutants. The requirements and cell-nonautonomy of wingless in patterning multiple embryonic and adult structures solidified its status as a candidate signaling molecule. The physical location of wingless mutations and transcription unit defined the gene and its developmental transcription pattern. When the Drosophila homolog of int-1 was then isolated, and predicted to encode a secreted proto-oncogene homolog, it's identity to the wingless gene confirmed that a developmental cell-cell signal had been identified and connected cancer to development.
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Texto completo:
1
Banco de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Proteínas de Drosophila
Tipo de estudio:
Prognostic_studies
Límite:
Animals
Idioma:
En
Año:
2024
Tipo del documento:
Article