Two anti-vitamin D receptor monoclonal antibodies binding to two different epitopes immunoprecipitate 100% of the HL-60 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D-3 binding activity, while another monoclonal antibody specific for the porcine receptor precipitates none. Using a rat receptor cDNA probe, a single mRNA species of 4.6 kb was detected by Northern analysis of HL-60 mRNA. Using a cDNA probe from the cloned rat receptor, 10(7) recombinants from a lambda gt11 cDNA library constructed from mRNA isolated from HL-60 cells was screened yielding two positive clones. These clones had sequences identical with the known human receptor sequence from intestinal/T47D sources. Using PCR technology, the entire sequence of the HL-60 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D-3 receptor was determined. This sequence was found identical with that reported for the human intestinal/T47D cDNA encoding the vitamin D receptor except for a single base. The substitution of this particular base does not alter the amino acid sequence however. Thus, the same receptor likely operates in differentiation and calcium transport functions.