The long and the short of Wnt signaling in C. elegans

Curr Opin Genet Dev. 2008 Aug;18(4):362-7. doi: 10.1016/j.gde.2008.06.006. Epub 2008 Jul 28.

Abstract

The simplicity of C. elegans makes it an outstanding system to study the role of Wnt signaling in development. Many asymmetric cell divisions in C. elegans require the Wnt/beta-catenin asymmetry pathway. Recent studies confirm that SYS-1 is a structurally and functionally divergent beta-catenin, and implicate lipids and retrograde trafficking in maintenance of WRM-1/beta-catenin asymmetry. Wnts also regulate short-range events such as spindle rotation and gastrulation, and a PCP-like pathway regulates asymmetric divisions. Long-range, cell non-autonomous Wnt signals regulate vulval induction. Both short-range and long-range Wnt signal s are regulated by recycling of MIG-14/Wntless via the retromer complex. These studies indicate that C. elegans continues to be useful for identifying new, conserved mechanisms underlying Wnt signaling in metazoans.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Body Patterning / genetics*
  • Caenorhabditis elegans / embryology*
  • Caenorhabditis elegans / genetics*
  • Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / physiology
  • Carrier Proteins / physiology
  • Cell Polarity / genetics
  • Embryo, Nonmammalian
  • Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
  • Models, Biological
  • Signal Transduction / genetics
  • Signal Transduction / physiology*
  • Spindle Apparatus / physiology
  • Synapses / physiology
  • Transport Vesicles / metabolism
  • Transport Vesicles / physiology
  • Wnt Proteins / physiology*
  • beta Catenin / physiology

Substances

  • Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins
  • Carrier Proteins
  • Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
  • Mig-14 protein, C elegans
  • Wnt Proteins
  • beta Catenin