title: Live imaging of active fluorophore labelled Wnt proteins.
abstract: For almost 30 years, Wnt proteins have been known as key regulators of many developmental decisions, including the formation of the embryonic axes, patterning of the CNS, limb bud outgrowth and segment polarity. However, live cell imaging of active Wnt proteins was rarely reported. Here, we have generated a Wnt2b-EGFP fusion protein that retains functionality in bona fide Wnt activity assays, although the secreted protein is rapidly cleaved by extracellular proteases. We can show with this new tool that Wnt2b-EGFP moves along the microtubules of Wnt producing cells and that this directed movement is essential for the secretion of active Wnt protein.
authors.affiliation: Zoological Institute II, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, D-76131 Karlsruhe, Germany.
authors.forename: Tatjana
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Holzer
authors.forename: Katrin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Liffers
authors.forename: Karolin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Rahm
authors.forename: Benjamin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Trageser
authors.forename: Suat
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ozbek
authors.forename: Dietmar
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gradl
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008870:Microtubules / Q000378:metabolism; D057054:Molecular Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D009068:Movement; D021381:Protein Transport; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D051153:Wnt Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D014981:Xenopus
chemical_list: D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D051153:Wnt Proteins