Fig. 1. The Ftm protein structure and the phenotypes of Ftm^-/- embryos. (A) The Ftm protein contains three coiled-coil domains [CC1 amino acids (aa) 43-85, CC2 aa264-375, CC3 aa491-576], one C2 domain (aa792-887) and an RID domain (aa1076-1264). The red arrowhead marks the position where the protein is truncated due to the mutation in Ftm mutant mice. (B) Western blot analysis using an antibody raised against the C-terminus of Ftm. Ftm is absent in Ftm^-/- embryos (^-/-). The lower lanes show the loading controls with anti-actin antibody. (C-F) Ftm^-/- embryos (right side) are shown at different stages in comparison with their wild-type littermates (left side). (C) At E18.5, Ftm mutant embryos reveal polydactyly in fore and hind limbs (white arrowhead), reduction of eye structures and craniofacial malformations. (D) Craniofacial abnormalities in Ftm^-/- embryos are shown, including a reduction of mandibular structures and unfused maxilliary and nasal tissues. (E) At E10.5, pericard enlargement (white arrowhead) and exencephaly (black arrowhead) are found in most of the embryos analysed. (F) At E9.5, 19% of analysed mutant embryos displayed dextrocardia (heart looping to the right body side) instead of the normal looping direction to the left. The final position of the ventricular part of the heart tube after looping is marked by the white arrowhead.