The transgene construct contains the human alpha synuclein sequence with an A53T point mutation and a stop codon engineered at residue 130 which results in a truncated protein lacking the last 10 amino acids at the C-terminus. This sequence is under control of the rat tyrosine hydroxylase (Th) promoter (9 kb of 5' flanking region of the rat Th gene). The purified construct was injected into pronuclei of fertilized (C57BL/6 x C3H)F1 eggs. Copy number is estimated to be ~30. Expression of the transgene product is detected in the midbrain in soma and axons of neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta.