Expression of DWnt6, DWnt10, and DFz4 during Drosophila development

Members of the Wnt gene family encode secreted proteins that signal through the Frizzled family of receptors to function in many aspects of development. In this study, we have analyzed the expression of two Wnt genes and one Frizzled family member that were recently identified through the Drosophila genome sequencing project. We show that DWnt6 is only weakly expressed in developing embryos, with transcripts faintly detected in the gut. By late third instar however, this gene is expressed in a pattern that is identical to that of wingless (wg) in the imaginal discs. DWnt10 is expressed in the embryonic mesoderm, central nervous system and gut, whereas its expression is below the levels of our detection in third instar imaginal discs. We find that DFz4 is also expressed in a dynamic pattern in the mesoderm, gut, and central nervous system.