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Science 3 April 1987:
Vol. 236. no. 4797, pp. 88 - 91
DOI: 10.1126/science.2436296
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Articles

Science, Vol 236, Issue 4797, 88-91
Copyright © 1987 by American Association for the Advancement of Science

articles

Identification of an alpha subunit of dihydropyridine-sensitive brain calcium channels

M Takahashi and WA Catterall

Voltage-sensitive calcium channels in different tissues have diverse functional properties. Polyclonal antibodies (PAC-2) against the alpha subunits of purified rabbit skeletal muscle calcium channels immunoprecipitated calcium channels labeled with the dihydropyridine PN200-110 from both skeletal muscle and brain. The immunoreactivity of PAC-2 with the skeletal muscle channel was greater than that with the brain calcium channel and was absorbed only partially by prior treatment with the brain channel. PAC-2 specifically recognized a large peptide in synaptic plasma membranes of rabbit brain with an apparent molecular size of 169,000 daltons. This protein resembles an alpha subunit of the skeletal muscle calcium channel in apparent molecular weight, antigenic properties, and electrophoretic behavior after reduction of disulfide bonds. Thus, the dihydropyridine-sensitive calcium channel of rabbit brain has an alpha subunit that is homologous, but not identical, to those of the skeletal muscle calcium channel. The different functional properties of these two calcium channels may result from minor variations in structurally similar components.


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Structure and function of voltage-sensitive ion channels.
W. Catterall (1988)
Science 242, 50-61
   Abstract »    PDF »
Sequence and expression of mRNAs encoding the alpha 1 and alpha 2 subunits of a DHP-sensitive calcium channel.
S. Ellis, M. Williams, N. Ways, R Brenner, A. Sharp, A. Leung, K. Campbell, E McKenna, W. Koch, A Hui, et al. (1988)
Science 241, 1661-1664
   Abstract »    PDF »


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