Trimeric G protein-dependent frizzled signaling in Drosophila

Frizzled (Fz) proteins are serpentine receptors that transduce critical cellular signals during development. Serpentine receptors usually signal to downstream effectors through an associated trimeric G protein complex. However, clear evidence for the role of trimeric G protein complexes for the Fz family of receptors has hitherto been lacking. Here, we show roles for the Galpha(o) subunit (Go) in mediating the two distinct pathways transduced by Fz receptors in Drosophila: the Wnt and planar polarity pathways. Go is required for transduction of both pathways, and epistasis experiments suggest that it is an immediate transducer of Fz. While overexpression effects of the wild-type form are receptor dependent, the activated form (Go-GTP) can signal when the receptor is removed. Thus, Go is likely part of a trimeric G protein complex that directly transduces Fz signals from the membrane to downstream components.