A 3.0kb ninaE promoter fragment drives expression of a chimeric protein consisting of ninaE in which the cytoplasmic tail has been replaced by the corresponding sequence from Btau\RHO. A 0.7kb fragment corresponding to the 3' untranslated region of ninaE is also present.
7 day old ninaE17 flies expressing ninaE::Btau\RHORHOCt.ninaE have reduced rhabdomeres that are irregular in shape compared to wild type. At 14 days after eclosion, some photoreceptors lacking a visible rhabdomere are observed.