1: Oncol Rep. 2005 May;13(5):993-7. 

Comparative genomics on Fzd8 orthologs.

Katoh Y, Katoh M.

M & M Medical BioInformatics, Hongo 113-0033, Japan.

WNT signaling pathway networks with Hedgehog, Notch and FGF signaling pathways
during carcinogenesis and embryogenesis. FZD8 is up-regulated in HeLa S3 and
A549 cells. Here we identified and characterized rat Fzd8 gene by using
bioinformatics. Rat Fzd8 gene was identified within AC131883.2 genome sequence.
Rat Fzd8 (684 aa) showed 99.1, 96.8, 71.8 and 71.6% total amino-acid identity
with mouse Fzd8, human FZD8, zebrafish fzd8 and Xenopus fzd8, respectively.
Vertebrate Fzd8 orthologs were seven-transmembrane receptors with Frizzled (Fz)
domain within the N-terminal extracellular region, leucine zipper motif around
the fifth transmembrane domain, and Dishevelled (Dvl)-binding motif within the
C-terminal cytoplasmic region. Two Asn-linked glycosylation sites within the
N-terminal extracellular region were conserved among vertebrate Fzd8 orhologs.
One Asn-linked glycosylation site within the second extracellular loop was
conserved among mammalian Fzd8 orthologs, but not in Xenopus and zebrafish fzd8
orthologs. These facts indicate the molecular evolution of Fzd8 orthologs. The
5'-flanking region and exonic region were well conserved among mammalian Fzd8
orthologs. Nucleotide position 92950-94221 of AC131883.2 genome sequence was
identified as the evolutionarily conserved promoter region of rat Fzd8 gene, and
nucleotide position 133421-132134 of AL121749.14 genome sequence as the
evolutionarily conserved promoter region of human FZD8 gene. Match program
revealed that ELK1- and PAX4-binding sites were conserved between rat Fzd8 and
human FZD8 promoters. This is the first report on the rat Fzd8 gene as well as
on comparative genomics for Fzd8 orthologs.

PMID: 15809770 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]


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2: Int J Oncol. 2005 May;26(5):1435-40. 

Comparative genomics on Vangl1 and Vangl2 genes.

Katoh Y, Katoh M.

M and M Medical BioInformatics, Hongo 113-0033, Japan.

WNT signals are transduced to the beta-catenin pathway or the planar cell
polarity (PCP) pathway. WNT - beta-catenin pathway is implicated in
carcinogenesis, while WNT-PCP pathway is implicated in cell motility and
metastasis. Drosophila Van Gogh (Vang), Frizzled (Fz), Starry night (Stan),
Prickle (Pk) and Diego (Dgo) are PCP signaling molecules. Vangl1 (Strabismus 2)
and Vangl2 (Strabismus 1 or Ltap) are mammalian homologs of Drosophila Vang
interacting with PRICKLE1, PRICKLE2, ANKRD6, DVL1, DVL2, DVL3, KAI1 and MAGI3.
Here we identified and characterized rat Vangl1 and Vangl2 genes by using
bioinformatics. Rat Vangl1 gene, consisting of eight exons, was located within
AC098913.7 and AC108524.6 genome sequences. Rat Vangl2 gene, consisting of eight
exons, was located within AC118856.3 and AC115243.5 genome sequences.
Exon-intron structure of mammalian Vangl1 and Vangl2 orthologs was well
conserved. E47 and double ELK1-binding sites were conserved among promoters of
mammalian Vangl1 orthologs. PAX4, NFkappaB, HNF4, SOX9, RFX1, and POU2F1
(OCT1)-binding sites were conserved among promoters of mammalian Vangl2
orthologs. Rat Vangl1 (526 aa) and Vangl2 (521 aa) were four-transmembrane
proteins with 71.5% total-amino-acid identity. Ser cluster motif
(SxxSxxSxxSxxSxxS) in the N-terminal cytoplasmic region and PDZ-binding motif in
the C-terminal cytoplasmic tail were evolutionarily conserved among vertebrate
Vangl1 and Vangl2 orthologs. This is the first report on rat Vangl1 and Vangl2
genes as well as on comparative genomics for Vangl1 and Vangl2 orthologs.

PMID: 15809738 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]


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