EFFECT OF MAGNESIUM ON P31 AND P32 PARTITION IN MUSCLE

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Abstract
The effect of Mg++ on the distribution of phosphate in the muscle of the rat was studied with particular reference to ATP by both chemical and isotopic methods. Magnesium anesthesia does not alter the rate of disappearance of P32 from the plasma, but it has definite effect on the distribution of both P31 and P32 in the voluntary muscle. Under the influence of Mg++ the ATP content of the muscle is increased. This is mainly due to the elimination of muscular contractions during the killing of the animal. That this is not the whole explanation is seen when the Mg-treated animal is compared with one in ether anesthesia where these movements are also eliminated. Under these conditions, the difference is still found and the P32 results suggest that part of the effect is due to a decrease in the utilization of ATP leading to the accumulation of high energy phosphate bonds in the ATP and phosphocreatine fractions of the muscle. The possible bearing of these results on previous work on the effect of Mg++ on the biological behavior of the adenine nucleotides is discussed.