Generation of a Null Mutation of the toothrin Gene by Targeted Homologous Recombination in Drosophila melanogaster

The Drosophila toothrin gene is related to the conserved d4 family of genes that encode specific transcription factors. In previous works, we investigated the effect of tth gene overexpression and characterized the specific pattern of its expression in the nervous system, but mutations in the tth gene have not yet been found. Null mutants are essential for analyzing gene function and screening of partner genes. Here we report the generation of the first tth gene knockout in Drosophila using a homologous recombination technique.