Abstract
Evolutionarily conserved gene clusters are interesting for two reasons: (1) they may illuminate ancient events in genome evolution and (2) they may reveal ongoing stabilizing selection; that is, the conservation of gene clusters may have functional significance. To test if the Wnt family of signaling factors exhibits conserved clustering in basal metazoans and if those clusters are of functional importance, we searched the genomic sequence of the sea anemone Nematostella vectensis for Wnt clusters and correlated the clustering we observed with published expression patterns. Our results indicate that the Wnt1-Wnt6-Wnt10 cluster observed in Drosophila melanogaster is partially conserved in the cnidarian lineage; Wnt6 and Wnt10 are separated by less than 4,500 nucleotides in Nematostella. A novel cluster comprised of Wnt5-Wnt7/Wnt7b was observed in Nematostella. Clustered Wnt genes do not exhibit Hox-like colinearity nor is the expression of linked Wnt genes more similar than the expression of nonlinked Wnt genes. Wnt6 and Wnt10 are not expressed in a spatially or temporally contiguous manner, and Wnt5 and Wnt7 are expressed in different germ layers.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
