Fig. 1.

Targeting of RanBPM in mouse causes growth retardation and gonad size reduction. (A) Schematic of the RanBPM gene targeting. The gene-trap cassette composed of the Engrailed 2 (En2) splice-acceptor sequence and the fusion β-galactosidase-neomycin gene (βGeo) is inserted between exons 1 and 2 causing a change in the size of the EcoRV (RV) DNA restriction fragment. (B) Southern blot using the probe shown in A and genomic EcoRV-digested DNA from wild-type (+/+), heterozygous (+/−) and homozygous (−/−) RanBPM mutant mice. (C) Western blot analysis of RanBPM protein in lysates from a wild-type (WT) and a knockout (KO) mouse brain. Immunoprecipitation experiments (IP, top panel) show the presence of RanBPM only in the lysates from the WT brain. Protein input is shown in the middle (RanBPM) and bottom (β-actin) panels. Lanes 1 and 3 are negative control IP performed with a goat serum isotype. (D) Growth curves for WT and RanBPM^−/− females (left panel) and males (right panel) over a period of 4 months (n≥12). (E) Representative testes from 1-month-old WT and mutant mice. (F) Representative ovaries from 2-month-old WT and mutant mice. Scale bars: 2mm.