Figure 8.
RTP expression in mutants lacking other rhabdomeric components and rhabdomeric protein expression in the rtp1 mutant. A, The RTP protein expression was absent in ninaCP235, but was expressed in other phototransduction proteins found in the rhabdomere. Top panel, The first three lanes at left: wild type, eyes absent (eya1). eya1 and rtp1 are controls for antibody specificity. All mutants were homozygotes. The apparent increased expression of RTP in inaCP209 was not confirmed in subsequent experiments. Bottom panel, The blot was reprobed with anti-actin antibody as a protein loading control. B, RTP expression was dependent on activity of the NINAC P174 rhabdomeric protein. Top panel, Flies lacking only the NINAC P132 cytoplasmic form (lane 2) expressed RTP, but flies lacking only the NINA P174 rhabdomeric form (lane 3) did not express RTP. Middle panel, The blot was reprobed with NINAC antibodies to confirm identity of the ninaC Δ132 and ninaCΔ174 strains. Bottom panel, The blot was reprobed with anti-actin antibody as a protein loading control. C, RTP protein was not necessary for stable expression of other phototransduction proteins. The mutant alleles described in A were used as antigen-null (Δ Antigen) controls.