Motor neuron clones expressing TBPH^Scer\UAS.cDa under the control of Scer\GAL4^VGlut-OK371 exhibit clear motor axon and NMJ degeneration.

Expression of TBPH^Scer\UAS.cDa under the control of Scer\GAL4^Mef2.PR results in premature lethality, with the majority of animals dying during the second larval instar and none developing later than the third larval instar. Mutant second instar larvae show significantly impaired body wall peristalsis compared to controls. Sarcoplasmic aggregates containing TBPH protein are seen in the body wall muscles of mutant second instar larvae.

Animals expressing TBPH^Scer\UAS.cDa under the control of Scer\GAL4^repo die during larval stages.

Only around 10% of flies expressing TBPH^Scer\UAS.cDa under the control of Scer\GAL4^elav.PU eclose as adults. The majority of flies die during late larval/pupal stages. The remaining flies have shortened lifespan, dying at around day 35 in comparison with wild type controls that have a lifespan of ~80 days. Third instar larvae exhibit impaired peristalsis and defective locomotion and adults have non-existent or severely impaired innate escape and climbing behaviours. Flies expressing TBPH^Scer\UAS.cDa under the control of Scer\GAL4^EB1 show a reduction in walking activity over time, activity and total distance travelled compared with controls. However the mean walking velocity is comparable with controls. Severe gait abnormalities are seen when TBPH^Scer\UAS.cDa is expressed under the control of Scer\GAL4^elav.PU.

Flies expressing TBPH^Scer\UAS.cDa under the control of Scer\GAL4^elav.PU show no difference in either the amplitude or frequency of miniature excitatory junction potentials (mEJPs). Low-frequency stimulation showed no difference in evoked excitatory junction potential, and quantal content is similar to controls. No differences are seen following high-frequency stimulation.

The electroretinograms from 1 and 5 day old flies expressing TBPH^Scer\UAS.cDa under the control of Scer\GAL4^GMR.PU in response to blue light pulses show a reduction in peak-peak amplitude compared to controls. No off/on transients are visible.

Expression of TBPH^Scer\UAS.cDa in the upper motor neurons under the control of Scer\GAL4^EB1 does not significantly alter lifespan.

Flies expressing TBPH^Scer\UAS.cDa under the control of Scer\GAL4^EB1 show axonal extensions and synaptic arborisations of ellipsoid body ring neurons. The phenotype worsens over time.