A new member of the frizzled family from Drosophila functions as a Wingless receptor
P Bhanot, M Brink, CH Samos, JC Hsieh, Y Wang… - Nature, 1996 - nature.com
Nature, 1996•nature.com
Receptors for Wingless and other signalling molecules of the Wnt gene family have yet to be
identified. We show here that cultured Drosophila cells transfected with a novel member of
the frizzled gene family in Drosophila, Dfz2, respond to added Wingless protein by elevating
the level of the Armadillo protein. Moreover, Wingless binds to Drosophila or human cells
expressing Dfz2. These data demonstrate that Dfz2 functions as a Wingless receptor, and
they imply, in general, that Frizzled proteins are receptors for the Wnt signalling molecules.
identified. We show here that cultured Drosophila cells transfected with a novel member of
the frizzled gene family in Drosophila, Dfz2, respond to added Wingless protein by elevating
the level of the Armadillo protein. Moreover, Wingless binds to Drosophila or human cells
expressing Dfz2. These data demonstrate that Dfz2 functions as a Wingless receptor, and
they imply, in general, that Frizzled proteins are receptors for the Wnt signalling molecules.
Abstract
Receptors for Wingless and other signalling molecules of the Wnt gene family have yet to be identified. We show here that cultured Drosophila cells transfected with a novel member of the frizzled gene family in Drosophila, Dfz2, respond to added Wingless protein by elevating the level of the Armadillo protein. Moreover, Wingless binds to Drosophila or human cells expressing Dfz2. These data demonstrate that Dfz2 functions as a Wingless receptor, and they imply, in general, that Frizzled proteins are receptors for the Wnt signalling molecules.
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