Studies on the Myofibrillar Proteins Part I. Phase Microscopy of Myofibrils from Rabbit Muscle

To obtain further information concerning the nature myofibrillar proteins in a food system, an investigation has been conducted to compare the change in the biochemical property of the myofibril with the changes in the morphological structure of the myofibril. When myofibrils were prepared with 0.16 M KCl-0.04 M Tris-HCl, the band pattern was clear and distinct. There was a uniform thickening of A-band, a sharp appearence of Z-lines and a wide I-band. The band pattern of myofibrils was changed as the composition of extraction solution was changed. Also the ATPase activity of myofibril changed as the length of sarcomere changed. When myofibrils were treated with a low concentration of trypsin, myofibrils turned in the contracted state. With the progress of prolonged trypsin treatment, most of myofibrils exhibited a pattern of alternating light and dark bands, supercontracted pattern. Although myofibrils exhibited a supercontracted band pattern, the ATPase activity of myofibril continued to increase with the progress of trypsin treatment. An assumption was made that tropomyosin may be located in Z-line and that troponin-tropomyosin complex can inhibit the ATPase activity of myofibrils through the structural alternation of myofibril.