Abstract: | A microsomal fraction of rabbit skeletal muscle was sed for the isolation of a dihydropyridine (DHP) receptor, a putative potential-dependent calcium channel. The receptor purification was followed by the binding of 3H-labeled riodipine derivative which possesses a high affinity for digitonin-solubilized DHP receptor. The DHP-Sepharose affinity chromatography of an enriched receptor fraction allowed to isolate a receptor, 60-70% homogeneous on the basis of DHP-binding activity. SDS gel electrophoresis showed that the purified receptor is composed of two subunits with molecular masses of 160 and 53 kD. The large subunit changes its electrophoretic mobility after the reduction of disulfide bonds. |