SpWnt-5

Function

SpWnt-5 is a member of the Wnt gene family, one of the principal families of secreted signaling molecules that orchestrate the development of both invertebrate and vertebrete embryos.
Southern blot analysis demonstrated that SpWnt-5 is a single copy gene (Ferkowicz et al., 1998).

Protein

SpWnt-5 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).
GenBank: 3808212

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

The SpWnt-5 probe hybridizes to at least five distinct-sized transcripts at various stages of development. The predominant transcript (7.5 kb) is weakly detected at the unhatched-blastula stage, increases sharply in abundance by the mesenchyme blastula stage, and is detected throughout the rest of early larval development. Several possible alternative Wnt-5 transcripts are detected, including the abundant 2.4-kb species at the mesenchyme blastula stage.
In situ hybridization detected the SpWnt-5 transcripts in the developing radial nervous system late in development (Ferkowicz et al., 1998).

mRNA level

Temporal accumulation
Method 1: RNase protection assay
Reference: Ferkowicz et al., 1998
Method 2: Nothern blot hybridization
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	-	-	+	+ +	+ +	+	+	+	+ -	+ -