Cyclic AMP-rnediat~ phospho~la~on of calcium channel subunits was studied in vitro and in vivo in preparations from dog heart. Calcium channels in native cardiac membranes were phosphorylated by CAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) solubilized with digitonin and subsequently immunoprecipitated using a polyclonal antibody generated against the deduced carboxy-terminal sequence of the cardiac /I subunit. A 62 kDa protein was identified as the major PKA-substrate in the immunoprecipitates. In the intact myocardium, this putative p subunit was found to be phosphorylated in response to CAMP elevating agents. In contrast, no phosphorylation of a protein with an electrophoretic mobility similar to the a, subunit was detected, although 1,4diiydropyridine receptor sites were recovered in the immunoprecipitates. Thus, we suggest that IX&mediated phospho~lation of the b subunit is the major mechanism for @-adrenergic regulation of cardiac L-type calcium channel activity.