Disrupting Calcium Channel Expression To Lower Blood Pressure: New Targeting of a Well-Known Channel

Proposed topology of the Ca_V1.2 channel. The formation of the pore by the α _1C subunit is shown (lower right). Genes for four β subunits (β ₁, β ₂, β ₃, and β ₄) and four splice variants of α ₂δ subunits have been identified. The β subunit contains a beta interactive domain (BID), which is required for high affinity interaction with the alpha interactive domain (AID) of the α subunit. The subunits also have phosphorylation sites and binding sites for signaling molecules. The formation of the pore by the α _1C subunit is shown (lower right). CaM, calmodulin; PKA, protein kinase A; PKC, protein kinase C.