Plant Wnt:Deciphering a Novel Signalling Pathway in Plants

Wnt proteins represents highly conserved family of signalling biomolecules regulating vital developmental processes including embryo axis patterning, regeneration potential, cell fate specificity and determination in animals. Existence of Wnt protein mediated signalling in plants is still unexplored. Homologs of proteins like glycogen-synthase-kinase-3, casein-kinase-1 and Adenomatous-polyposis coli which together act as a negative regulator of metazoan Wnt signalling, have been traced in plants. Interestingly, genome-wide survey of cotton could reveal the presence of Wnt protein and its receptor, Frizzled up in Gossypium arboreum. Moreover, publicly available annotated sequence data have unravelled the existence of certain other proteins like Dishevelled homologs of betacatenin in plants. These proteins orchestrate the initiation of Wnt signalling pathway in animals. Manifestation of homologs of such Wnt signalling factors in plants, indicates a possible mimicry of similar signalling pathways. We have attempted to hypothesize a novel signalling network involving Wnt protein and other associated proteins in plants, considering animal systems as a model.