ISOLATION, CHARACTERIZATION AND CHROMOSOMAL ASSIGNMENT OF THE HUMAN WNT7A GENE

The Wnt genes compose a large gene family encoding a group of secreted signaling molecules that have been implicated in oncogenesis and a nu mber of developmental processes. We have isolated a full-length human cDNA clone that we consider to be a novel member of the Wnt gene famil y. The gene (WNT7A) encodes a deduced 349-amino-acid peptide with 98% identity in amino acid sequence to murine Wnt7a. Expression of this ge ne is restricted to certain tissues: placenta, kidney, testis, uterus, fetal lung, and fetal and adult brain. Furthermore, we have isolated a genomic clone of WNT7A and mapped it to chromosome 3p25 by fluoresce nt in situ hybridization.