@article {349,
	title = {Secreted Wingless-interacting molecule (Swim) promotes long-range signaling by maintaining Wingless solubility.},
	journal = {Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America},
	volume = {109},
	year = {2012},
	month = {2012 Jan 10},
	pages = {370-7},
	abstract = {Lipid-modified Wnt/Wingless (Wg) proteins can signal to their target cells in a short- or long-range manner. How these hydrophobic proteins travel through the extracellular environment remains an outstanding question. Here, we report on a Wg binding protein, Secreted Wg-interacting molecule (Swim), that facilitates Wg diffusion through the extracellular matrix. Swim, a putative member of the Lipocalin family of extracellular transport proteins, binds to Wg with nanomolar affinity in a lipid-dependent manner. In quantitative signaling assays, Swim is sufficient to maintain the solubility and activity of purified Wg. In Drosophila, swim RNAi phenotypes resemble wg loss-of-function phenotypes in long-range signaling. We propose that Swim is a cofactor that promotes long-range Wg signaling in vivo by maintaining the solubility of Wg.},
	issn = {0027-8424},
	doi = {10.1073/pnas.1119197109},
	url = {http://www.pnas.org/cgi/pmidlookup?view=long\&pmid=22203956},
	author = {Mulligan, KA and Fuerer, C and Ching, W and Fish, M and Willert, K and Nusse, R}
}
