SpWnt-4

Function

SpWnt-4 is a member of the Wnt gene family, one of the principal families of secreted signalling molecules that orchestrate the development of both invertebrate and vertebrete embryos.
Southern blot analysis demonstrated that SpWnt-4 is a single copy gene (Ferkowicz et al., 1998).

Protein

SpWnt-4 is a cell signaling protein.
All idetified sea urchin Wnt sequences contain nine absolutely conserved cysteine residues and a potential N-linked glycosylation sequence (Ferkowicz et al., 1998).
SWISS_PROT: P28094

Subcellular location

Wnt proteins are secreted and do not diffuse more than a few cell diametres from Wnt-expressing cells (Nusse and Varmus, 1992, Siegfried and Perrimon, 1994).

Expression Pattern

SpWnt-4 transcripts are first detected at the mesenchyme blastula stage. Expression continues at about the same level through the early prism stage and then declines through the pluteus stages (Ferkowicz et al., 1998).

mRNA level

Temporal accumulation
Method 1: RNase protection assay
Reference: Ferkowicz et al., 1998

Stage	Unfertilized egg	Morula	Early blastula	Mesenchyme blastula	Early gastrula	Late gastrula	Early prism	Late prism	5-days early pluteus	7-days pluteus
Level	-	-	-	+	+	+	+	+	+ -	+ -