Ca2+ release from skeletal sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) could be regulated by at least three mechanisms: 1) Ca2+, 2) calmodulin, and 3) Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent phosphorylation. Bell-shaped Ca(2+)-dependence of Ca2+ release from both actively- and passively-loaded SR vesicles suggest that opening and closing of the Ca2+ release channel could be regulated by [Ca2+o]. The time- and concentration-dependent inhibition of Ca2+ release from skeletal SR by calmodulin was also studied using passively-Ca2+ loaded SR vesicles. Up to 50% of Ca2+ release was inhibited by calmodulin (0.01-0.5 microM); this inhibition required 5-15 min preincubation time. The hypothesis that Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent phosphorylation of a 60 kDa protein regulates Ca2+ release from skeletal SR was tested by stopped-flow fluorometry using passively-Ca2+-loaded SR vesicles. Approximately 80% of the initial rates of Ca(2+)-induced Ca2+ release was inhibited by the phosphorylation within 2 min of incubation of the SR with Mg-ATP and calmodulin. We identified two types of 60 kDa phosphoproteins in the rabbit skeletal SR, which was distinguished by solubility of the protein in CHAPS. The CHAPS-soluble 60 kDa phosphoprotein was purified by column chromatography on DEAE-Sephacel, heparin-agarose, and hydroxylapatite. Analyses of the purified protein indicate that the CHAPS-soluble 60 kDa protein is an isoform of phosphoglucomutase (PGM). cDNAs encoding isoforms of PGM were cloned and sequenced using synthetic oligonucleotides. Two types of PGM isoforms (Type I and Type II) were identified. The translated amino acid sequences show that Type II isoform is SR-form.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)