3 WNT GENES EXPRESSED IN A WIDE VARIETY OF TISSUES DURING DEVELOPMENTOF THE ZEBRAFISH, DANIO-RERIO - DEVELOPMENTAL AND EVOLUTIONARY PERSPECTIVES

Proteins encoded by the Wnt family of genes act as signals and have be en shown to play important roles in a wide variety of developmental pr ocesses. Here we describe the cloning of three Wnt family members from the zebrafish, Danio rerio, which encode proteins with homology to mu rine Wnt-2, -4 and -5A/B. The expression patterns of the latter two ze brafish genes, designated ZfWnt4 and ZfWnt5 show considerable similari ty with their homologues in other vertebrates; ZfWnt2, however, is exp ressed in the developing viscera in a pattern distinct from its closes t murine homologue. In the light of the similarities and differences i n the patterns of expression of these genes relative to their homologu es in other vertebrates, we speculate on their possible functions.