Sequence and Expression of mRNAs Encoding the $\alpha _{1}$ and $\alpha _{2}$ Subunits of a DHP-Sensitive Calcium Channel

• Published in: Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science) 1988-09, Vol.241 (4873), p.1661-1664
• Main Authors: Ellis, Steven B., Williams, Mark E., Ways, Nancy R., Brenner, Robert, Sharp, Alan H., Leung, Albert T., Campbell, Kevin P., McKenna, Edward, Koch, Walter J., Hui, Anna, Schwartz, Arnold, Harpold, Michael M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Amino acids; Complementary DNA; DNA; Generally accepted auditing standards; Genomics; Gin; Messenger RNA; Receptors; RNA; Skeletal muscle
• ISSN: 0036-8075; 1095-9203

Complementary DNAs were isolated and used to deduce the primary structures of the $\alpha _{1}$ and $\alpha _{2}$ subunits of the dihydropyridine-sensitive, voltage-dependent calcium channel from rabbit skeletal muscle. The $\alpha _{1}$ subunit, which contains putative binding sites for calcium antagonists, is a hydrophobic protein with a sequence that is consistent with multiple transmembrane domains and shows structural and sequence homology with other voltage-dependent ion channels. In contrast, the $\alpha _{2}$ subunit is a hydrophilic protein without homology to other known protein sequences. Nucleic acid hybridization studies suggest that the $\alpha _{1}$ and $\alpha _{2}$ subunit mRNAs are expressed differentially in a tissue-specific manner and that there is a family of genes encoding additional calcium channel subtypes.