Sequence analysis showed that two deafness-associated mutation sites in Whirlin (V460 and R490, NCBI Clinvar database, VCV000364688, and VCV000156029) are conserved between Whirlin and PDZD7, which are corresponding to V594 and R624 in PDZD7 (Supplementary Figures 2A,B). Here, WHRN is linked to deafness.