Almost the entore coding region is deleted.
Mutants fail to pupariate and die as third instar larvae after a prolonged period of larval life. In mutant embryos, 20% of dorsal anastomoses fail to form.
Removal of one copy of mbo1 from emb2 homozygous mutants prolongs the life span of 20% of the individuals to the 3rd instar larval stage (approximately 120 hours after egg laying). This prolonged survival is accompanied by eversion of the anterior spiracles, a morphological characteristic of progression through larval development.