Figure 1.

Characterization of Ca_V1.3a channel localization and activity in cav1.3a mutants. A, Diagrams representing the secondary structure of the α-pore-forming subunit Ca_V1.3a. Each diagram represents the expected protein resulting from the genetic lesions in each cav1.3a mutant. The position of the antibody epitope is denoted by a blue star. B, Mechanically evoked Ca²⁺ responses in WT and cav1.3a mutants at 5 dpf in response to a 2 s, 10 Hz alternating square waveform. Each trace represents the average response of hair cells from four NMs. C, Scatter plot depicts the average Ca²⁺ response per NM in WT and cav1.3a mutants. n ≥ 4 fish and n ≥ 10 NMs per genotype. Error bars are SEM. ***p < 0.001, defined by the Dunnett's multiple comparison test. D–F, Representative labeling of Ca_V1.3a clusters in cross-sections of NMs in 5 dpf WT (B), R1250X (C), and R284C (D) larvae. Dashed lines outline hair cells. Ribeye b label in merged images indicates Ca_V1.3a clusters localized to synaptic ribbons. Scale bar, 3 μm. G, Fraction of Ribeye with localized Ca_V1.3a clusters within NMs (5 dpf). Each data point represents the NM at position 2 along the trunk (NM2) in individual larvae. Error bars are SEM. **p < 0.01, defined by the Dunnett's multiple comparison test. H, Box plots of the fluorescent intensities of presynaptic Ca_V1.3a. These plots show the median value (horizontal bar), the upper and lower quartiles (box), and the range (whiskers). Whiskers indicate the 10th and 90th percentiles. **p < 0.01, defined by the Dunn's multiple comparison test.