Fig.2.A nonsense mutation is found in the two splicing variants of the ninaD gene.(A)We performed PCR analyses with genomic DNA from homozygous
ninaDP245 and wt flies by using several sets of oligonucleotide primers overlapping the entire genomic region of the predicted gene CG5750.Sequencing of the
PCR products revealed a base pair exchange(G to A)in homozygous ninaDP245 flies,resulting in a stop codon at position 71 of the predicted amino acid sequence
of CG5750.(B)To judge whether CG5750 consists of two genes,we performed PCR and RT-PCR analyses on genomic DNA and mRNA preparations from wt flies
by using three different primer pairs.Primer pair 1 spanned exons 3 to 6,primer pair 2 was specific for exon 3,and primer pair 3 was specific for exon 6 of the
predicted gene CG5750(see D).Agarose gel electrophoresis revealed PCR products with genomic DNA for all three primer pairs;an RT-PCR product could only
be obtained with primer pair 2.(C)3-RLM-RACE-PCR with a 5 oligonucleotide primer specific for exon 3 of the predicted gene CG5750 resulted in two different
products,showing the existence of two splicing variants.(D)The predicted exon intron structure of CG5750(red)and the determined exon intron structures
of the two splicing variants of the putative ninaD gene(blue).The longer splicing variant consists of five exons,the fifth not primarily predicted in GC5750,with
164,303,812,91,and 366 bases,respectively.The shorter variant includes only the first three exons.Coding regions are colored,and the position of the point
mutation found in the putative ninaDP245 allele is indicated by asterisks.(E)Northern blot analyses with mRNA preparations obtained from wt,heterozygous
(het),and homozygous(hom)ninaDP245 flies confirmed the existence of the two splicing variants of the putative ninaD gene.In heterozygous ninaDP245 flies,
the levels of the putative ninaD mRNAs were strongly reduced compared with wt flies;in homozygous ninaDP245 flies(ninaD)they were hardly detectable.(F)
Primary structure of the putative NinaD protein.The positions of the N-terminal and C-terminal transmembrane domains are indicated in blue and red;the
positions of the putative N-glycosylation sites are indicated with green-filled circles,and clustered cysteine residues are indicated by a‘‘C.’’