ISOLATION AND GENETIC-MAPPING OF 2 NOVEL MEMBERS OF THE MURINE WNT GENE FAMILY, WNT11 AND WNT12, AND THE MAPPING OF WNT5A AND WNT7A

The murine Wnt genes are implicated in the control of a variety of dev elopmental processes. Using a PCR-based approach, we have isolated two novel members of the murine Wnt gene family, Wnt11 and Wnt12. These c DNAs display an amino acid sequence identity of between 38 and 49% wit h all other murine Wnts over the regions that we have isolated. In add ition, two previously described Wnt genes, Wnt5a and Wnt7a, were detec ted in RT-PCR products. Interspecific crosses were used to demonstrate close linkage between Wnt12 and Wnt1 on Chromosome (Chr) 15. Wnt7a wa s mapped to mouse Chr 6, Wnt5a to the centromeric region of Chr 14, an d Wnt11 to Chr7. (C) 1994 Academic Press,Inc.