(A) Generation of CNGB1ΔCaM mice. The left and the right panel are schematics of the CNGB1b protein structure and a portion of the Cngb1 gene in the wild type and CNGB1ΔCaM mice respectively. On the upper left, the N-terminal CaM-binding domain containing 20 amino acids in the CNGB1b protein is represented with a solid red circle. The transmembrane domains are depicted as yellow boxes and the cAMP-binding domain is represented as a green bar. Below, the exons of the Cngb1 gene are shown as open boxes. The targeting construct is illustrated at the bottom. K, KpnI; H, HindIII; S, SpeI; Bs, BstEII; Solid triangles, loxP sites. On the right, the mutant CNGB1b protein lacks the CaM-binding domain. The mutated exon in the Cngb1 gene is represented by the black box and the loxP site remaining in the intron is marked by the solid triangle.
(B) PCR analysis of genomic DNA across the deletion site. The precise elimination of the 60 nucleotides encoding 20 amino acid CaM-binding domain in the PCR products of CNGB1ΔCaM mice were confirmed by sequencing.
(C) Western blot analysis of total OE proteins. CNGB1b, CNGA2, CNGA4, and ACIII are expressed at similar levels in wild type and CNGB1bΔCaM mice. α-tubulin is used as the loading control.
(D) Immunohistostaining of OE sections. CNGB1b, CNGA2, CNGA4, ACIII and PDE1C are all primarily detected at the cilial layer of the OE in both wild type and CNGB1bΔCaM mice. C, cilial layer; S, supporting cell layer; OSN, olfactory sensory neuron layer; BL, basal lamina, marked by a white dashed line. Scale bar: 20 μm.