Transient kinetics of adenosine 5'-triphosphate hydrolysis by covalently cross-linked actomyosin complex in water and 40% ethylene glycol by the rapid flow quench method

Force Generation by Myosin Motors: A Structural Perspective

Generating force and movement is essential for the functions of cells and organisms. A variety of molecular motors that can move on tracks within cells have evolved to serve this role. How these motors interact with their tracks and how that, in turn, leads to the generation of force and movement is key to understanding the cellular roles that these motor-track systems serve. This review is focused on the best understood of these systems, which is the molecular motor myosin that moves on tracks of filamentous (F-) actin. The review highlights both the progress and the limits of our current understanding of how force generation can be controlled by F-actin-myosin interactions. What has emerged are insights they may serve as a framework for understanding the design principles of a number of types of molecular motors and their interactions with their tracks.

Effect of N-Terminal Extension of Cardiac Troponin I on the Ca(2+) Regulation of ATP Binding and ADP Dissociation of Myosin II in Native Cardiac Myofibrils

Cardiac troponin I (cTnI) has a unique N-terminal extension that plays a role in modifying the calcium regulation of cardiac muscle contraction. Restrictive cleavage of the N-terminal extension of cTnI occurs under stress conditions as a physiological adaptation. Recent studies have shown that in comparison with controls, transgenic mouse cardiac myofibrils containing cTnI lacking the N-terminal extension (cTnI-ND) had a lower sensitivity to calcium activation of ATPase, resulting in enhanced ventricular relaxation and cardiac function. To investigate which step(s) of the ATPase cycle is regulated by the N-terminal extension of cTnI, here we studied the calcium dependence of cardiac myosin II ATPase kinetics in isolated cardiac myofibrils. ATP binding and ADP dissociation rates were measured by using stopped-flow spectrofluorimetry with mant-dATP and mant-dADP, respectively. We found that the second-order mant-dATP binding rate of cTnI-ND mouse cardiac myofibrils was 3-fold faster than that of wild-type myofibrils at low Ca(2+) concentrations. The ADP dissociation rate of cTnI-ND myofibrils was positively dependent on calcium concentration, while the wild-type controls were not significantly affected. These data from experiments using native cardiac myofibrils under physiological conditions indicate that modification of the N-terminal extension of cTnI plays a role in the calcium regulation of the kinetics of actomyosin ATPase.

Why choose myofibrils to study muscle myosin ATPase?

Our objective is to propose an overview of the usefulness of skeletal myofibril as an experimental system for studying mechanochemical coupling of skeletal muscles and myosin ATPase activity. The myofibril is a true functional mini-muscle that is able to contract in the presence of ATP. It also contains the machinery necessary for the calcium sensitivity of the contraction. In the absence of calcium, myofibrillar ATPase activity is basal, no shortening occurs and no active force is developed. In the presence of calcium, myofibrillar ATPase is activated and myofibrils either shorten with no external load (native myofibrils) or contract isometrically (cross-linked myofibrils). With this organised system, both chemical and mechanical studies can be carried out. For a decade, our laboratory has been using rabbit psoas myofibrils for exploring myosin ATPase activity. The first challenge was to successfully apply rapid kinetic approaches, such as rapid-flow-quench, to this organised system. Another challenge was to work with myofibrils in cryoenzymic conditions, i.e. in the presence of organic solvents and at sub-zero temperatures. In this overview, we highlight differences between the myosin ATPase in organised systems (myofibrils or fibres) and that of contractile proteins in solution (S1 or actoS1) that we observed using these approaches. We discuss the importance of these differences in terms of mechanochemical coupling. It is concluded that great care should be taken when extrapolating mechanochemical properties of the contractile proteins in solution to the whole muscle.

Dimethyl sulphoxide enhances the effects of P(i) in myofibrils and inhibits the activity of rabbit skeletal muscle contractile proteins

In the catalytic cycle of skeletal muscle, myosin alternates between strongly and weakly bound cross-bridges, with the latter contributing little to sustained tension. Here we describe the action of DMSO, an organic solvent that appears to increase the population of weakly bound cross-bridges that accumulate after the binding of ATP, but before P(i) release. DMSO (5-30%, v/v) reversibly inhibits tension and ATP hydrolysis in vertebrate skeletal muscle myofibrils, and decreases the speed of unregulated F-actin in an in vitro motility assay with heavy meromyosin. In solution, controls for enzyme activity and intrinsic tryptophan fluorescence of myosin subfragment 1 (S1) in the presence of different cations indicate that structural changes attributable to DMSO are small and reversible, and do not involve unfolding. Since DMSO depresses S1 and acto-S1 MgATPase activities in the same proportions, without altering acto-S1 affinity, the principal DMSO target apparently lies within the catalytic cycle rather than with actin-myosin binding. Inhibition by DMSO in myofibrils is the same in the presence or the absence of Ca(2+) and regulatory proteins, in contrast with the effects of ethylene glycol, and the Ca(2+) sensitivity of isometric tension is slightly decreased by DMSO. The apparent affinity for P(i) is enhanced markedly by DMSO (and to a lesser extent by ethylene glycol) in skinned fibres, suggesting that DMSO stabilizes cross-bridges that have ADP.P(i) or ATP bound to them.

Crossbridge kinetics in single frog muscle fibres in presence of ethylene glycol

Single fibres isolated from frog muscle were tetanically stimulated at 14 degrees C to produce isometric tetani at a sarcomere length of about 2.16 microm, using a striation follower device to measure the sarcomere length of a selected segment of fibre. Force-velocity data were obtained by applying ramp releases at pre-set velocity at the tetanus plateau. Sarcomere stiffness was measured at isometric plateau and during isotonic shortening by using sinusoidal length changes at 2 kHz frequency and about 1 nm per half sarcomere (hs) peak to peak amplitude. A correction method was used to compensate for the force truncation due to the quick recovery. After data collection, the bathing solution was substituted with Ringer plus ethylene glycol (EG) at 2 M (11.2% v/v). When the fibre was fully equilibrated with the new solution, the measurements were repeated. Ethylene glycol reduced the speed of the tetanus rise and tetanus relaxation without altering the isometric tension, and reduced the maximum shortening velocity by about 20%. During isotonic contraction tension and stiffness at each given shortening velocity were reduced by about the same amount, so that the stiffness/tension ratio remained almost unaltered. Force-velocity and stiffness data in both standard and EG Ringer were analysed in terms of a two state model (Huxley, 1957). The analysis showed that our results can be accounted for by assuming that EG at 2 M concentration reduces all the rate constants for crossbridges interaction by about the same amount.

ATPase and shortening rates in frog fast skeletal myofibrils by time-resolved measurements of protein-bound and free Pi

Shortening and ATPase rates were measured in Ca2+-activated myofibrils from frog fast muscles in unloaded conditions at 4 degrees C. ATPase rates were determined using the phosphate-binding protein method (free phosphate) and quench flow (total phosphate). Shortening rates at near zero load (V0) were estimated by quenching reaction mixtures 50 ms to 10 s old at pH 3.5 and measuring sarcomere lengths under the optical microscope. As with the rabbit psoas myofibrils (C. Lionne, F. Travers, and T. Barman, 1996, Biophys. J. 70:887-895), the ATPase progress curves had three phases: a transient Pi burst, a fast linear phase (kF), and a deceleration to a slow phase (kS). Evidence is given that kF is the ATPase rate of shortening myofibrils. V0 is in good agreement with mechanical measurements in myofibrils and fibers. Under the same conditions and at saturation in ATP, V0 and kF are 2.4 microm half-sarcomere(-1) s(-1) and 4.6 s(-1), and their Km values are 33 and 200 microM, respectively. These parameters are higher than found with rabbit psoas myofibrils. The myofibrillar kF is higher than the fiber ATPase rates obtained previously in frog fast muscles but considerably lower than obtained in skinned fibers by the phosphate-binding protein method (Z. H. He, R. K. Chillingworth, M. Brune, J. E. T. Corrie, D. R. Trentham, M. R. Webb, and M. R. Ferenczi, 1997, J. Physiol. 50:125-148). We show that, with frog as with rabbit myofibrillar ATPase, phosphate release is the rate-limiting step.

Probing the coupling of Ca2+ and rigor activation of rabbit psoas myofibrillar ATPase with ethylene glycol

We have exploited solvent perturbation to probe the coupling of Ca2+ and rigor activation of the ATPase of myofibrils from rabbit psoas. Three techniques were used: overall myofibrillar ATPases by the rapid-flow quench method; kinetics of the interaction of ATP with myofibrils by fluorescence stopped-flow; and myofibrillar shortening by optical microscopy. Because of its extensive use with muscle systems, ranging from myosin subfragment-1 to muscle fibres, we chose 40% ethylene glycol as the relaxing agent. At 4 degrees C, the glycol had little effect on the myofibrillar ATPase at low [Ca2+], but at high [Ca2+] the activity was reduced 50-fold, close to the level found under relaxing conditions, and there was no shortening. However, the ATPase of chemically cross-linked myofibrils (permanently activated even without Ca2+) was reduced only 3-4-fold. The lesser reduction of the ATPase of permanently activated myofibrils was also observed in single turnover experiments in which activation occurs by a few heads in the rigor state activating the remaining heads. The addition of ADP, which also promotes strong head-thin filament interactions, also activated the ATPase but only in the presence of Ca2+. Further experiments revealed that in 40% ethylene glycol, Ca2+ does initiate shortening but only with the aid of strong interactions and at temperatures above 15 degrees C. This confirms that in the organized and intact myofibril, Ca2+ and rigor activation are coupled, as proposed previously for regulated actomyosin subfragment-1.

ATPase kinetics on activation of rabbit and frog permeabilized isometric muscle fibres: a real time phosphate assay

1. The rate of appearance of inorganic phosphate (Pi) and hence the ATPase activity of rabbit psoas muscle in single permeabilized muscle fibres initially in rigor was measured following laser flash photolysis of the P3-1-(2-nitrophenyl)ethyl ester of ATP (NPE-caged ATP) in the presence and absence of Ca2+. Pi appearance was monitored from the fluorescence signal of a Pi-sensitive probe, MDCC-PBP, a coumarin-labelled A197C mutant of the phosphate-binding protein from Escherichia coli. Fibres were immersed in oil to optimize the fluorescence signal and to obviate diffusion problems. The ATPase activity was also measured under similar conditions from the rate of NADH disappearance using an NADH-linked coupled enzyme assay. 2. On photolysis of NPE-caged ATP in the presence of Ca2+ at 20 degrees C, the fluorescence increase of MDCC-PBP was non-linear with time. ATPase activity was 41 s-1 in the first turnover based on a myosin subfragment 1 concentration of 150 microM. This was calculated from a linear regression of the fluorescence signal reporting 20-150 microM of Pi release. Tension was at 67% of its isometric level by the time 150 microM Pi was released. ATPase activities were 36 and 31 s-1 for Pi released in the ranges of 150-300 microM and 300-450 microM, respectively. The ATPase activity had a Q10 value of 2.9 based on measurements at 5, 12 and 20 degrees C. 3. An NADH-linked assay showed the ATPase activity had a lower limit of 12.7 s-1 at 20 degrees C. The response to photolytic release of ADP showed that the rate of NADH disappearance was partially limited by the flux through the coupled reactions. Simulations indicated that the linked assay data were consistent with an initial ATPase activity of 40 s-1. 4. On photolysis of NPE-caged ATP in the absence of Ca2+ the ATPase activity was 0.11 s-1 at 20 degrees C with no discernible rapid transient phase of Pi release during the first turnover of the ATPase. 5. To avoid the rigor state, the ATPase rate in the presence of Ca2+ was also measured on activation from the relaxed state by photolytic release of Ca2+ from a caged Ca2+ compound, nitrophenyl-EGTA. At 5 degrees C the ATPase rate was 5.8 and 4.0 s-1 in the first and second turnovers, respectively. These rates are comparable to those when NPE-caged ATP was used. 6. The influence of ADP and Pi on the ATPase activities was measured using the MDCC-PBP and NADH-linked assays, respectively. ADP (0.5 mM) decreased the initial ATPase rate by 23%. Pi (10 mM) had no significant effect. Inhibition by ADP, formed during ATP hydrolysis, contributed to the decrease of ATPase activity with time. 7. The MDCC-PBP assay and NPE-caged ATP were used to measure the ATPase rate in single permeabilized muscle fibres of the semitendinosus muscle of the frog. At 5 degrees C in the presence of Ca2+ the ATPase activity was biphasic being 15.0 s-1 during the first turnover (based on 180 microM myosin subfragment 1). Tension was 74% of its isometric level by the time 180 microM Pi was released. During the third turnover the ATPase rate decreased to about 20% of that during the first turnover. 8. ATPase activity in isometric rabbit muscle fibres during the first few turnovers is about an order of magnitude greater than that when a steady state is reached. Possible reasons and the consequences for understanding the mechanism of muscular contraction are discussed.

Time resolved measurements show that phosphate release is the rate limiting step on myofibrillar ATPases

The myofibril is a good model to study the ATPase of the muscle fibre. When myofibrillar ATPase reaction mixtures are quenched in acid, there is a burst of Pi formation, due to AM.ADP.Pi or Pi, as shown in the scheme: AM+ATP<-->A.M.ATP<-->AM.ADP.Pi<-->AM.ADP+Pi<-->AM+ADP. Therefore, in the steady state, either AM.ADP.Pi or AM.ADP or both predominate. To determine which, we studied the reaction using a Pi binding protein (from E. coli) labeled with a fluorophore such that it is specific and sensitive to free Pi [Brune, M. et al. (1994) Biochemistry 33, 8262-8271]. We show that the Pi bursts with myofibrillar ATPases (calcium-activated or not, or crosslinked) are due entirely to protein bound Pi. Thus, with myofibrillar ATPases the AM.ADP.Pi state predominates.

Inhibition of ATP binding to myofibrils and acto-myosin subfragment 1 by caged ATP

The inhibitory effect of P3-[1-(2-nitrophenyl)ethyl]adenosine 5'-triphosphate (caged ATP) on the binding of Mg2+-ATP to myofibrils was investigated. The most sensitive method was found to be the monitoring of single turnovers of [gamma-32P] ATP hydrolysis using the quench flow technique. The method was tested using ADP, which was found to have an inhibition constant of 145 microM, in agreement with previous reports. Caged ATP behaved as a simple competitive inhibitor of ATP binding with an inhibition constant of 1.6 mM. The inhibitory effect of these ligands on the binding of ATP to acto-myosin subfragment 1 was investigated using the same method. The inhibition constants of caged ATP and ADP were found to be 0.35 mM and 50 microM, respectively. This inhibitory effect of caged ATP on ATP binding accounts for the lower rate of ATP binding to fibers, deduced from caged ATP [(0.5-1) x 10(6) M-1 s-1], than that reported for acto-S1 (3.5 x 10(6) M-1 s-1) [Goldman, Y. E., Hibberd, M. G., & Trentham, D. R. (1984) J. Physiol. (London) 354, 577].

Correlation of ActoS1, myofibrillar, and muscle fiber ATPases

Our objective was to determine a good in vitro model for muscle fiber ATPase, and we compared the kinetics of Ca(2+)-activated myofibrils and cross-linked actoS1 in a buffer of physiological ionic strength. The myofibrils were cross-linked chemically to mimic the isometric condition of fibers or were un-cross-linked (the isotonic condition), and temperature perturbation was used to probe their ATPase mechanisms. At 4 degrees C, we have already shown that the kinetics of cross-linked actoS1 and myofibrils (cross-linked or not) are similar: there were large P(i) bursts and kcat values of about 1 s-1, close to that obtained with fibers [Herrmann, C., Sleep, J., Chaussepied, P., Travers, F. & Barman, T. (1993) Biochemistry 32, 7255-7263]. So, at 4 degrees C cross-linked actoS1 and myofibrils are equally good as models for fiber ATPase. At 20 degrees C, this similarity vanishes: progress curves with the myofibrils (cross-linked or not) had large P(i) bursts, but with cross-linked actoS1, bursts could not be discerned. This shows that at 20 degrees C the predominant steady-state intermediates are ATP complexes with actoS1 but are products complexes with the myofibrils, as with fibers [Ferenczi, M.A. (1986) Biophys. J. 50, 471-477]. Further, the kcat values were different: 15.5 s-1 with cross-linked actoS1, 8.3 s-1 for myofibrils, and 3.5 s-1 for cross-linked myofibrils. With fibers, kcat = 3.3 s-1. These results show that cross-linked myofibrillar ATPase is a good model for muscle fibers contracting isometrically.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Early steps of the Mg(2+)-ATPase of relaxed myofibrils. A comparison with Ca(2+)-activated myofibrils and myosin subfragment 1

The early steps of the Mg(2+)-ATPase activity of relaxed rabbit psoas myofibrils were studied in a buffer of near-physiological ionic strength at 4 degrees C by the rapid flow quench technique. The initial ATP binding steps were studied by the ATP chase, and the cleavage and release of product steps by the Pi burst method. The data obtained were interpreted by [formula: see text] where M represents the myosin heads with or without actin interaction. This work is a continuation of our study on Ca(2+)-activated myofibrils [Houadjeto, M., Travers, F., & Barman, T. (1992) Biochemistry 31, 1564-1569]. Here the constants obtained with relaxed myofibrils were compared with those with activated myofibrils and myosin subfragment 1 (S1). We find that whereas Ca2+ increases 80X the release of products (k4), it has little effect upon the kinetics of the initial binding and cleavage steps. As with activated myofibrils and S1, the second-order binding constant for ATP (k2/K1) was about 1 microM-1 s-1 and the ATP was bound very tightly. With activated myofibrils, it was difficult to obtain an estimate for the koff for ATP(k-2) but it is much less than kcat. Here with relaxed myofibrils we estimate k-2 less than 8 x 10(-4) s-1, which is considerably smaller than kcat (0.019 s-1) and also previous estimates for this constant. The overall Kd for ATP to relaxed myofibrils is less than 8 x 10(-10) M. With S1 this Kd is about 10(-11) M.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Effects of ethylene glycol on the kinetics of contraction on flash photolysis of caged ATP in rat psoas muscle fibres

ATP (1-1.2 mM) was photoreleased from caged ATP (5 mM) in skinned fibres from rat psoas muscle at 15-17 degrees C, to examine the effects of ethylene glycol (EG; 20% in solvent) on the kinetics of isometric contraction. Muscle fibres were stretched by 0.5-2% before photolysis, so that force just before photolysis was almost equal to the steady-state force after photolysis. At the phase of steady-state contraction, force and 500 Hz-stiffness in the presence of EG were 50% and 70% of the controls, respectively, resulting in a higher stiffness-to-force with EG, as reported previously. Following photolysis, force fell before rising to a steady-state plateau. The estimated rate constant of the force decay was approximately 90 s-1, and in the presence of EG was 80-85% of the control. This suggested a small effect of EG on the crossbridge detachment induced by ATP. The rate of force redevelopment was approximately 70 s-1, and EG decreased this rate to 50% of the control. This suggested that EG greatly slows the transition of the crossbridges from the detached state to the reattached force-producing state. The time course of the stiffness signals was consistent with this interpretation. The high stiffness-to-force ratio with EG indicated that EG not only reduces the rate constants which were directly examined in this study but also modifies other aspects of the crossbridge reaction.

Ca(2+)-activated myofibrillar ATPase: transient kinetics and the titration of its active sites

The transient kinetics of rabbit psoas Ca(2+)-activated myofibrillar Mg(2+)-ATPase were studied in a buffer of near physiological ionic strength at 4 degrees C by the rapid flow quench technique. The initial ATP binding steps were studied by the ATP chase and the cleavage and release of products steps were studied by the Pi burst method. The data obtained were interpreted by the simple scheme [formula; see text] represents the myosin heads with or without actin interaction. The constants obtained with myofibrils (where the molecules are highly organized) were compared with those with myosin subfragment 1 (S1) and cross-linked acto-S1 (where the molecules are dispersed in solution). Myofibrils appear to bind ATP as tightly as do S1 and cross-linked acto-S1. This suggests that with them k-2 less than kcat much less than k2, and it is proposed that the ATP chase method can be used to titrate the ATPase sites in myofibrils. The results of titration and single-turnover experiments revealed that myofibrils may contain partially active myosin heads. It is proposed that these heads bind ATP loosely without hydrolysis, as found with S1 [Tesi, C., N. Bachouchi, N., Barman, T., & Travers, F. (1989) Biochimie 71, 363-372]. There were large Pi bursts with the three preparations, showing that with all of them the release of products step (k4) is rate limiting.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Actin mediated regulation of muscle contraction

Striated and smooth muscles have different mechanisms of regulation of contraction which can be the basis for selective pharmacological alteration of the contractility of these muscle types. The progression in our understanding of the tropomyosin-troponin regulatory system of striated muscle from the early 1970s through the early 1990s is described along with key concepts required for understanding this complex system. This review also examines the recent history of the putative contractile regulatory proteins of smooth muscle, caldesmon and calponin. A contrast is made between the actin linked regulatory systems of striated and smooth muscle.

What is the true ATPase activity of contracting myofibrils?

The ATPase activity of contracting myofibrils was obtained in a solvent of ionic contents that mimic in vivo conditions: pH 7.4 and 0.1 M potassium acetate. Contracting myofibrils are fleeting structures and their ATPase activity is of short duration: even at 4 degrees C it was over after a reaction time of 1 s and rapid reaction equipment was needed for its study. The ATPase (1.1 s-1) was very similar to that of crosslinked actoS1 (1 s-1). It was 100 x that of relaxed myofibrils.

Cryoenzymic studies on actomyosin ATPase. Evidence that the degree of saturation of actin with myosin subfragment 1 affects the kinetics of the binding of ATP

The initial steps of actomyosin subfragment 1 (acto-S1) ATPase (dissociation and binding of ATP) were studied at -15 degrees C with 40% ethylene glycol as antifreeze. The dissociation kinetics were followed by light scattering in a stopped-flow apparatus, and the binding of ATP was followed by the ATP chase method in a rapid-flow quench apparatus. The data from the chase experiments were fitted to E + ATP in equilibrium (K1) E.ATP----(k2) E*ATP, where E is acto-S1 or S1. The kinetics of the binding of ATP to acto-S1 were sensitive to the degree of saturation of the actin with S1. There was a sharp transition with actin nearly saturated with S1: when the S1 to actin ratio was low, the kinetics were fast (K1 greater than 300 microM, k2 greater than 40 s-1); when it was high, they were slow (K1 = 14 microM, k2 = 2 s-1). With S1 alone K1 = 12 microM and k2 = 0.07 S-1. With acto heavy meromyosin (acto-HMM) the binding kinetics were the same as with saturated acto-S1, regardless of the HMM to actin ratio. The dissociation kinetics were independent of the S1 to actin ratio. Saturation kinetics were obtained with Kd = 460 microM and kd = 75 S-1. The data for the saturated acto-S1 could be fitted to a reaction scheme, but for lack of structural information the abrupt dependence of the ATP binding kinetics upon the S1 to actin ratio is difficult to explain.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Is a four-state model sufficient to describe actomyosin ATPase?

Four-[(1984), J. Biol. Chem. 259, 11908] and six-[(1985) Science 227, 999] state models have been proposed for actomyosin ATPase. A key experiment in deciding between these is whether or not there is a transient Pi burst at high actin. In the first, the cleavage and release of products rates are similar and the Pi burst is low; in the second, there are additional product complexes and the Pi burst is large. We reinvestigated the problem by carrying out burst experiments under the conditions in [(1985) Science 227, 999]. Since we find that the Pi burst at high actin is low, we conclude that the four-state model is sufficient to describe actomyosin ATPase.

ATPase activity of the cross-linked complex between cardiac myosin subfragment 1 and actin in several models of chronic overloading. A new approach to the biochemistry of contractility

Myosin ATPase activity is usually considered to reflect the contractile capacity of a given muscle since it correlates with the maximum initial speed of shortening of the unloaded muscle (Vmax). There are several exceptions to this scheme, and it was the goal of this study to determine if the Mg2+-ATPase activity of the covalently bound actomyosin S1 is a more physiological index of contractility. On polyacrylamide gels, the complex obtained after condensation of fast skeletal myosin S1 to skeletal actin is identical to that obtained with myosin S1 from the ventricles of different species, including rat, guinea pig, and human, cross-linked to cardiac or skeletal actin. In every condition, the ATPase activity of the complex is 700-fold higher than that of myosin S1. It correlates linearly with the Vmax both in phylogeny and in conditions in which an isomyosin shift has been reported, such as hypothyroidism and chronic cardiac overload. Such a relation indicates that, in species that already have a low Vmax, a small change in myosin ATPase may induce dramatic consequences in the shortening velocity. Cardiac hypertrophy in humans, where the drop in Vmax is not associated with a myosin change, does not fit into this scheme. The enzymatic activity of the complex is also unmodified in this condition, which shows that, in humans, the myosin ATPase is not a determinant of Vmax and suggests that other mechanisms may be involved. Measurement of this type of ATPase activity provides a new tool to explore contractility biochemically, which is more reproducible and, from a technical point of view, easier to perform than a kinetic assay. It also correlates better with mechanical data obtained with skinned fibers than with those measured on fresh papillary muscles.

Nucleotide binding by myosin in glycerol-extracted rabbit skeletal muscle fibres at temperatures between -35 degrees C and 10 degrees C

Glycerol-extracted rabbit psoas fibres were incubated at temperatures between -35 degrees C and +10 degrees C in a low-ionic-strength relaxing solution containing 50% ethyleneglycol, 100 microM [3H]MgATP, 1 mM [14C]mannitol and less than 0.01 microM Ca2+. The fibres were then rinsed in a solution containing 1 mM ATP and the bound nucleotide eluted in trichloroacetic acid; all these operations were carried out at the cold temperature. Residual bound nucleotide was eluted with trichloroacetic acid at room temperature. The fibres were found to bind approximately 180 microM nucleotide, which is consistent with binding to the enzymatic site of myosin. The eluate, obtained in the cold, was analysed on poly(ethyleneimine)-cellulose for its ATP and ADP content. At temperatures down to -22 degrees C most of the bound nucleotide was ADP and there was little variation of this fraction with temperature. As the temperature was lowered below -22 degrees C the ATP fraction rose sharply; by -35 degrees C it predominated. These results are similar in type to those found by Biosca et al. [(1984) Biochemistry 23, 1947-1953] on isolated subfragment 1, but are displaced to a much lower temperature range. Thus in a muscle fibre only a low thermal energy is needed for myosin to hold its nucleotide in a constant balance between ATP and ADP.