Characterization of cDNA clones encoding two putative isoforms of the α1 subunit of the dihydropyridine‐sensitive voltage‐dependent calcium channel isolated from rat brain and rat aorta

Abstract
CDNA clones encoding rat brain and rat aorta isoforms of the α1 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 α1 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.