Calreticulin and Calsequestrin are Differentially Distributed in Canine Heart

Cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) consists of three continuous yet distinct regions: longitudinal, corbular, and junctional. Ca2+uptake, catalyzed by the Ca2+-dependent ATPase, is thought to occur throughout the SR whereas Ca2+release occurs in the region of the junctional SR. In the SR, Ca2+is stored in a complex with Ca2+-binding proteins such as calsequestrin. In the present study, the distribution of the high-affinity calcium-binding protein, calreticulin, in canine cardiac SR was determined and compared with the distribution of other SR proteins. Three types of distribution were observed. Many proteins, including the Ca2+-ATPase and two mannose-containing glycoproteins (52 and 131 kDa), were present in all subfractions. These proteins were absent or depleted from the sarcolemma-enriched fraction. The ryanodine receptor/Ca2+release channel and calsequestrin were localized to the junctional SR. Calreticulin immunoreactivity was detected in fractions containing longitudinal SR but not in fractions enriched in sarcolemma or junctional SR. Hence calreticulin is present in a unique vesicular fraction and the Ca2+-binding proteins calreticulin and calsequestrin display different patterns of distribution in canine heart.