Wntless/Evi/Sprinter/Mig-14/Gpr177 (December 2009)
Based on original genetic evidence in Drosophila and C.elegans, the secretion of Wnt proteins needs the function of a dedicated protein Wntless (Wls) also known under various different other names (Evi/Sprinter/Mig-14/Gpr177; see table below). The Wls protein is a multiple-pass transmembrane molecule. Because of the lack of Wnt secretion in Wls mutant cells, it is thought that Wls is a transporter molecule that is specific for Wnt proteins. The gene is highly conserved and has been found in organisms ranging from mice to Planaria.
Review by Ching and Nusse, 2009
| organism | gene | phenotype |
|---|---|---|
| C. elegans | mig-14 | loss Wnt signaling (Yang, 2008) |
| Drosophila | Wntless/Evi/Sprinter | segment polarity (Banziger, 2006; Bartscherer, 2006; Goodman, 2006). |
| Mouse | Gpr177 | early axis defect (Fu 2009) |
| Planaria | Smed-Evi/Wntless | regeneration defects (Adell, 2009) |