WNT signals are transduced to the β-catenin pathway or the planar cell polarity (PCP) pathway. WNT - β-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, NFκB, 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.

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