What are the effects of the deletion of all three Pcdh clusters (tricluster deletion) in mice?
Multicluster Pcdh diversity is required for mouse olfactory neural circuit assembly. The vertebrate clustered protocadherin (Pcdh) cell surface proteins are encoded by three closely linked gene clusters (Pcdhα, Pcdhβ, and Pcdhγ). Although deletion of individual Pcdh clusters had subtle phenotypic consequences, the loss of all three clusters (tricluster deletion) led to a severe axonal arborization defect and loss of self-avoidance.