Characterization of recombinant rabbit cardiac and skeletal muscle Ca2+ release channels (ryanodine receptors) with a novel [3H]ryanodine binding assay.

A rapid assay for high affinity [3H]ryanodine binding to 3-[(3-cholamidopropyl)dimethylammonio]-1-propanesulfonic acid (CHAPS)-solubilized recombinant or native Ca2+ release channel proteins (ryanodine receptor, RyR) was devised. The key to preservation of high affinity [3H]ryanodine binding sites in the presence of increasing concentrations of CHAPS was the addition of phosphatidylcholine. This assay was used to characterize the equilibrium and kinetic properties of [3H]ryanodine binding to recombinant skeletal (RyR1) and cardiac (RyR2) Ca2+ release channels and the effects on binding of physiological modulators including ATP, Ca2+, and Mg2+. Both RyR1 and RyR2 had a single high affinity ryanodine binding site and low affinity sites, but [3H]ryanodine binding to recombinant RyR2 was not sensitive to ATP activation or Ca2+ inactivation and was less sensitive to Mg2+ inhibition. The [3H]ryanodine binding assay was used to estimate the expression level of recombinant RyR2 and RyR1, and to show that RyR2 can be expressed at very high levels in HEK-293 cells. Analysis of the properties of recombinant RyR2 and RyR1 by measurement of intracellular Fura-2 fluorescence revealed that the different properties of RyR2 and RyR1 are retained in the recombinant expressed proteins.