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

Abstract
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.