Characterization of cDNA clones encoding two putative isoforms of the alpha 1 subunit of the dihydropyridine-sensitive voltage-dependent calcium channel isolated from rat brain and rat aorta.

cDNA clones encoding rat brain and rat aorta isoforms of the alpha 1 subunit of the dihydropyridine-sensitive, voltage-dependent calcium channel were isolated and sequenced. These tissue-specific cDNA clones share significant amino acid similarity with the rabbit skeletal muscle calcium channel alpha 1 subunit (75% and 66% amino acid identity for rat brain and rat aorta isoforms, respectively). Northern analysis revealed transcript sizes of 6.5 and 8.6 kb in aorta and 8.6 kb in brain.