Kinetics of the Actomyosin ATPase in Muscle Fibers

Many characteristics expected from the cyclic ATPase mechanism of Scheme 1 are apparent in reactions measured directly in muscle fibers. ATP detaches rigor cross-bridges rapidly. Reattachment and force generation are also rapid compared to the overall cycling rate, but reversibility of many of the reactions allows significant population of detached states during contraction. ATP hydrolysis shows rapid, "burst" kinetics and is also readily reversible. Pi is released before ADP in the cycle. Pi release is slow in relaxed fibers but is promoted by the interaction between myosin and actin during contraction. Actomyosin kinetics differ in fibers from the ATPase reaction in solution in that Pi binds more readily to AM' X ADP in fibers, and complex, Ca2+-dependent kinetics are evident for ADP release. These properties suggest that the mechanical driving stroke of the cross-bridge cycle and events during physiological relaxation are closely linked to the product release steps. All of the reactions, except step 7a, in the main pathway for ATP hydrolysis, indicated in Scheme 1 by heavy arrows, are fast compared to the overall cycling rate in isometric contractions. Based on this finding, we expect step 7a (or isomerizations of the flanking states) to be relatively slow (approximately 3 s-1). But neither the rate-limiting reaction, nor the expected major dependence on mechanical load or shortening that would explain the Fenn effect, have actually been detected. Use of the pulse photolysis and oxygen exchange methods with structural and spectroscopic techniques and with perturbations of mechanical strain promise to reveal these aspects of the mechanism.