Imprecise excision of the P{EP}spasT32 insertion has created a 1.2kb deletion that spans from the insertion site to partway through the first intron.
Mutant larvae have bouton numbers that do not differ significantly from controls. spas5.75/spas17-7 larvae, there is a reduction seen in the amplitudes of evoked responses (excitatory junction potentials - EJPs) to depolarisation of the innervating nerves. Average EJP amplitudes are reduced. Quantal content is reduced to 78% of control levels at 18oC, at 29oC the QC is 54% of wild-type. Mutant adults exhibit reduced flying ability. These animals climbing ability is close to wild-type. Mutant adults have an average lifespan of about 8 days (compared to 46 days for controls). These flies have a bimodal lifespan distribution. Only 55% of flies are still alive after 4 d post-eclosion, but most of these (37% of the total) then remain alive until about 25 d post-eclosion. After this time they rapidly die off and no flies remain alive more than 33 days.