Wnt Gradient Formation Requires Retromer Function in Wnt-Producing Cells

• Published in: Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science) Vol. 312; no. 5775; pp. 921 - 924
• Main Authors: Coudreuse, Damien Y.M, Roël, Giulietta, Betist, Marco C, Destrée, Olivier, Korswagen, Hendrik C
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Association for the Advancement of Science 12-05-2006; The American Association for the Advancement of Science
• Subjects: Animal migration behavior; Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Body Patterning; Caenorhabditis elegans; Caenorhabditis elegans - cytology; Caenorhabditis elegans - genetics; Caenorhabditis elegans - growth & development; Caenorhabditis elegans - physiology; Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins - analysis; Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins - genetics; Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins - physiology; Cell differentiation, maturation, development, hematopoiesis; Cell Line; Cell physiology; Cellular biology; Daughter cells; Epithelial cells; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gene Expression; Genetics; Glycoproteins - analysis; Glycoproteins - genetics; Glycoproteins - physiology; Humans; Larvae; Molecular and cellular biology; Multiprotein Complexes - physiology; Mutation; Neuroblasts; Neurons; Neurons - cytology; Neurons - physiology; Phenotypes; Proteins; RNA Interference; Secretion; Signal Transduction; Transgenes; Vertebrates; Vesicular Transport Proteins - genetics; Vesicular Transport Proteins - physiology; Wnt Proteins - physiology; Xenopus; Caenorhabditis elegans; Helmintha; Development; Nemathelminthia; Molecular complex; Invertebrata; Nematoda; Concentration gradient
• ISSN: 0036-8075; 1095-9203
• DOI: 10.1126/science.1124856

Wnt proteins function as morphogens that can form long-range concentration gradients to pattern developing tissues. Here, we show that the retromer, a multiprotein complex involved in intracellular protein trafficking, is required for long-range signaling of the Caenorhabditis elegans Wnt ortholog EGL-20. The retromer functions in EGL-20-producing cells to allow the formation of an EGL-20 gradient along the anteroposterior axis. This function is evolutionarily conserved, because Wnt target gene expression is also impaired in the absence of the retromer complex in vertebrates. These results demonstrate that the ability of Wnt to regulate long-range patterning events is dependent on a critical and conserved function of the retromer complex within Wnt-producing cells.