The gene heatmap depicting the proteins involved in key functions such as significant activation of retinal degeneration in the KO group was attributed to two up-regulated (retinoschisin (Rs1) and ubiquilin-1 (Ubqln1)) and two down-regulated (Gucy2e and GNB1) proteins (Supplementary Figure S6a). This evidence concerns the gene UBQLN1 and retinal degeneration.