CNGB1 and retinal degeneration: We have previously shown that knockout of the β‐subunit and GARPs leads to retinal degeneration (Cngb1‐X1 KO) (Zhang et al., 2009), and knockout of only the β‐subunit without effecting soluble GARP expression (Cngb1‐X26 KO) (Hüttl et al., 2005) leads to a retinal degeneration with features that are distinct from the X1‐KO (X26 mice have almost no detectable channel α‐subunit and corresponding near total loss of phototransduction with rapid complete loss of photoreceptors).