The endogenous locus was disrupted a cassette encoding lacZ and GFP inserted downstream of the start codon via homologous recombination. A floxed neo cassette was also included in the targeting vector, but was excised via cre-mediated recombination in the germline. Neither normal transcript nor protein was detected by Northern and Western blot analyses of homozygous mutant mice. LacZ expression was realized via anti-beta-gal staining. (J:87892)