The Wnt family of developmental regulators were named after the Drosophila segmentation gene wingless and the murine proto-oncogene int-1. Homology between these two genes connected oncogenesis to cell-cell signals in development. I review how wingless was initially characterized, and cloned, as part of the quest to identify developmental cell-to-cell signals, based on predictions of the Positional Information Model, and on the properties of homeotic and segmentation gene mutants. The requirements and cell-nonautonomy of wingless in patterning multiple embryonic and adult structures solidified its status as a candidate signaling molecule. The physical location of wingless mutations and transcription unit defined the gene and its developmental transcription pattern. When the Drosophila homolog of int-1 was then isolated, and predicted to encode a secreted proto-oncogene homolog, it's identity to the wingless gene confirmed that a developmental cell-cell signal had been identified and connected cancer to development.

中文翻译：

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建立 Wnt 基因家族：wingless 是如何被发现是位置信号和癌基因同源物的

Wnt 发育调节因子家族以果蝇分段基因wingless和鼠原癌基因int-1命名。这两个基因之间的同源性将肿瘤发生与发育中的细胞间信号联系起来。我回顾了wingless最初是如何被表征和克隆的，作为识别发育细胞间信号的一部分，基于位置信息模型的预测以及同源异型和分割基因突变体的特性。wingless在形成多个胚胎和成体结构方面的要求和细胞非自主性巩固了其作为候选信号分子的地位。无翅突变和转录单位的物理位置定义了基因及其发育转录模式。当果蝇的int-1同源物被分离出来，并被预测编码一种分泌性原癌基因同源物时，它与无翼基因的同一性证实了发育细胞间信号已被识别并将癌症与发育联系起来。