Protein Extraction From Chicken Myofibrils Irrigated with Various Polyphosphate and NaCl Solutions

Physical changes in chicken gastrocnemius myofibrils incubated in 0.1 to 1.0 M NaCl solutions with or without 10 mM ortho‐(P), pyro‐(PP), tripoly‐(TPP) or hexameta‐ (HMP) phosphate at pH 6.0 were examined by phase‐contrast microscopy, electrophoresis, and solubility. PP and TPP performed similarly in promoting protein extraction, P had no apparent effect, and HMP exhibited an intermediate effect. PP, TPP, and HMP treatments markedly improved protein solubility in 0.3 and 0.4 M NaCl through the release of myosin, but the phosphate effect diminished in ≥ 0.6 M NaCl. Overall, phosphates influenced the ultrastructure of myofibrils and extraction of their constituents in the order: PP ∼ TPP > HMP > P ∼ nonphosphate control.