The role of sprinter in Wg signaling

项目编号：ios -0744371标题：短跑运动员在细胞信号传递中的作用众所周知，多细胞动物的发展需要细胞能够远距离交流它们的位置和身份。这种信息传递的一种方式是，发送细胞将蛋白质释放到细胞之间的空间，这些蛋白质扩散，直到邻近细胞检测到它们的存在，并根据这种信号改变其行为。wnt基因编码一个大家族的分泌糖蛋白，作为细胞外信号分子。果蝇的创始成员是无翼（Wg），相关蛋白已在所有后生动物中被发现。Wnt/Wg与目标信号接收细胞中的同源膜受体结合，引发细胞内变化，驱动果蝇和脊椎动物发育的无数阶段。最近，Selva实验室在果蝇中发现了一种名为Sprinter （Srt，也被称为Wntless和Evi）的新蛋白，它是从表达它的细胞分泌活性Wg/Wnt所必需的。然而，其在复杂的Wnt成熟过程中的实际作用尚不清楚。值得注意的是，从果蝇到人类的生物体都有与srt高度相似的基因，srt可能是所有7种果蝇和19种人类wnt分泌的专用因子。本研究的目标是将果蝇的复杂遗传学与细胞培养模型结合起来，剖析Srt在Wg/Wnt成熟和部署中的功能。这些研究将对我们对Srt依赖的Wg/Wnt信号事件在组织发育过程中的重要性的理解产生更广泛的影响，并促进未来基础研究人员的科学丰富和发展，因为包括代表性不足的少数民族在内的本科生将在本提案中执行大部分工作。

Principal Investigator: Erica Marie SelvaProposal number IOS-0744371Title: The role of sprinter in Wg signalingIt is well established that development of multicellular animals requires that cells can communicate their position and identity over large distances. One way this information is transmitted is that a sending cell releases proteins into spaces between cells and these proteins diffuse until a neighboring cell detects their presence and changes its behavior in response to this signal. The wnt genes encode a large family of secreted glycoproteins that act as such extracellular signaling molecules. The founding member in Drosophila is Wingless (Wg) and related proteins have been identified in all metazoans. Binding of Wnt/Wg to its cognate membrane receptor in the target signal receiving cells initiates intracellular changes that drive innumerable phases of both Drosophila and vertebrate development. Recently, the Selva laboratory has identified a novel protein in Drosophila named Sprinter (Srt, as known as Wntless and Evi) that is required for the secretion of active Wg/Wnt from the cells that express it. However, its actual function in the complex Wnt maturation process is not yet understood. Notably organisms from Drosophila to human have genes highly similar to srt and Srt might represent a dedicated factor for the secretion of all 7 Drosophila and 19 human Wnts. The goal of the proposed studies is to combine the sophisticated genetics of Drosophila with a cell culture model to dissect the function of Srt in Wg/Wnt maturation and deployment. These studies will have broader impacts on our understanding of the importance of Srt dependent Wg/Wnt signaling events during organismal development and promote the scientific enrichment and development of future basic researchers, as undergraduate students including underrepresented minorities will perform much of the work in this proposal.