Non-functional Orai1 N-terminal deletion/point mutants regain function by swapping loop2 with that of Orai3. Shown is the sequence alignment of Orai1 and Orai3 N terminus and loop2. a, time course of whole-cell inward currents at −74 mV activated upon passive store depletion of HEK 293 cells co-expressing STIM1 + Orai1 ΔN1–78 Orai3-loop2 in comparison with Orai1 and Orai1 ΔN1–78. b, block diagram showing STIM1-mediated maximal currents at t = 180 s upon whole-cell break-in of wildtype Orai1 compared with Orai1 ΔN1–78, Orai1 ΔN1–78 Orai3-loop2, Orai1 ΔN1–80, Orai1 ΔN1–80 Orai3-loop2, Orai1 ΔN1–82, and Orai1 ΔN1–82 Orai3-loop2. c, time course of whole-cell inward currents at −74 mV activated upon passive store depletion of HEK 293 cells co-expressing STIM1 + Orai3 ΔN1–53 Orai1-loop2 in comparison with Orai3 ΔN1–53. d, block diagram showing STIM1-mediated maximal currents at t = 180 s upon whole cell break-in of wildtype Orai3 compared with Orai3 ΔN1–53, Orai3 ΔN1–53 Orai1-loop2, Orai3 ΔN1–55, and Orai3 ΔN1–57 Orai1-loop2. e, time course of whole-cell inward currents at −74 mV activated upon passive store depletion of HEK 293 cells co-expressing STIM1 + Orai1 L74E/W76E Orai3-loop2 in comparison with Orai1 and Orai1 L74E/W76E. f, block diagram showing STIM1-mediated maximal currents at t = 180 s upon whole-cell break-in of wildtype Orai1 compared with Orai1 L74E/W76E, Orai1 L74E/W76E Orai3-loop2, Orai1 K77A/R78A, Orai1 K77A/R78A Orai3-loop2, Orai1 L81A, Orai1 L81A Orai3-loop2, Orai1 L81A/S82A, Orai1 L81A/S82A Orai3-loop2, Orai1 K85E, and Orai1 K85E Orai3-loop2. Error bars, S.E.; *, p < 0.05; n.s., not significant.