The purified dihydropyridine-sensitive calcium channel from skeletal muscle transverse tubules consists of several subunits, termed alpha 1, alpha 2, beta, gamma and delta. From its associated drug receptors, those for 1,4-dihydropyridines and phenylalkylamines have been shown previously by photoaffinity labeling to reside on the alpha 1 subunit. In the present study the arylazide photo-affinity ligand, (+)-cis-azidodiltiazem ((+)-cis-(2S,3S)-5-[2-(4- azidobenzoyl)aminoethyl]-2,3,4,5-tetrahydro-3-hydroxy-2-(4-methoxyphenyl )-4- oxo-1,5-benzothiazepine), and the respective tritiated derivative, (+)-cis-[3H]azidodiltiazem (45 Ci/mmol), were developed to identify directly the benzothiazepine binding subunit. (+)-cis-Azidodiltiazem binds competitively to the benzothiazepine receptor in rabbit skeletal muscle transverse tubule membranes. Upon ultraviolet irradiation of the (+)-cis-[3H]azidodiltiazem-purified calcium channel complex, the ligand photoincorporates exclusively into the alpha 1 subunit. Photoincorporation is protected by 100 microM (-)-desmethoxyverapamil and 100 microM (+)-cis-diltiazem. A polyclonal antiserum directed against (+)-cis-azidodiltiazem was employed to detect (+)-cis-azidodiltiazem immunoreactivity photoincorporated into the purified calcium channel complex, confirming the exclusive labeling of the alpha 1 subunit. Our data provide direct evidence that, together with the drug receptors for 1,4-dihydropyridines and phenylalkylamines, the benzothiazepine binding domain of skeletal muscle calcium channels is located on the alpha 1 subunit. We conclude that our anti-ligand antibodies could be used successfully to affinity purify the photolabeled proteolytic fragments of the alpha 1 subunit which are expected to form part of the benzothiazepine binding domain.