Flies expressing two copies of Rab7Scer\UAS.T:Avic\GFP-YFP.Venus under the control of Scer\GAL4Rab7.T:Disc\RFP are viable.
Flies expressing one copy of Rab7Scer\UAS.T:Avic\GFP-YFP.Venus under the control of one copy of Scer\GAL4Rab7.T:Disc\RFP (in a Rab7GAL4.T:Disc\RFP/+ mutant background) are viable and do not display any obvious behavioural defects or altered lifespan. Electroretinogram recordings from the larval neuromuscular junction are indistinguishable from wild type. The frequency and amplitudes of spontaneous single vesicle release events are normal, as are evoked neurotransmission events. As in wild type, no photoreceptor defects, either morphological or functional, are seen in adult flies that have been exposed to 10 days of constant light stimulation.
Expression of Rab7Scer\UAS.T:Avic\GFP-YFP.Venus under the control of Scer\GAL4Rab7.T:Disc\RFP rescues the lethality seen in homozygous Rab7GAL4.T:Disc\RFP mutant flies.
Expression of Rab7Scer\UAS.T:Avic\GFP-YFP.Venus under the control of Scer\GAL4Rab7.T:Disc\RFP rescues the progressive synaptic and neuronal degeneration seen in homozygous Rab7GAL4.T:Disc\RFP mutant eye clones after 10 days of constant light stimulation.
Expression of Rab7Scer\UAS.T:Avic\GFP-YFP.Venus under the control of Scer\GAL4Rab7.T:Disc\RFP rescues the dominant defects in synaptic function and rhabdomere structure seen in Rab7GAL4.T:Disc\RFP/+ mutant adults after 5 days of constant light stimulation. A similar level of rescue is seen whether the transgene expresses 0.5x, 1x or >10x the amount of endogenous Rab7 protein.