The following mutations have been introduced into exon 2 of gsb : a single base pair deletion (generating a frameshift and a SmaI site), an additional point mutation and two adjacent consecutive in-frame ochre and amber stop codons. The mutations truncate the gsb protein after Gly84, the 66th amino acid of the paired domain.
The overall organisation of the central nervous system is severely disrupted in gsbs252 mutant embryos, but the medially projecting neurites and the somata of the SNa motor neurons are recognisable in most hemisegments.
Mutant embryos show replacement of the posterior part of the segment with a mirror-image duplication of denticle belts normally found in the anterior part in only 13% of segments.