The kinetics of weakly- and strongly-binding crossbridges: implications for contraction and relaxation.
The properties of the weakly-binding crossbridge formed when MgATP binds to the active site in the absence of Ca2+ were studied and contrasted with the behavior of the strongly-binding crossbridge formed when MgADP binds to the active site. It was found that salt causes a large decrease in the attachment rate-constants of the weakly-binding state and a small decrease in the detachment ones. This results in a decrease in the number of weakly-attached crossbridges with increasing salt. The effect is about 15-fold when K Propionate is used to increase ionic strength from mu = 20 mM to mu = 160 mM. Frog skeletal fibers show fewer weakly binding crossbridges than the rabbit. Taken as a whole, the data suggest a model in which the major role of troponin-tropomyosin, at both normal and low ionic strength, is to prevent the weakly-binding crossbridges of the relaxed fiber from going on through the crossbridge cycle to more strongly-binding states. Upon activation by Ca2+, the weakly-binding crossbridges go on through the cycle to a series of more strongly-binding intermediates, leading to an increase in the number of attached crossbridges and the appearance of force.
Schoenberg
M
M
Laboratory of Physical Biology, National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, Bethesda, MD 20892.
D000199:Actins / Q000502:physiology*; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007700:Kinetics; D008954:Models, Biological; D009119:Muscle Contraction; D009126:Muscle Relaxation; D009132:Muscles / Q000502:physiology*; D009218:Myosins / Q000502:physiology*; D011817:Rabbits; D011898:Ranidae
D000199:Actins; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate; D009218:Myosins