Equilibrium partition studies of the interaction between aldolase and myofibrils.

The adsorption of aldolase to myofibrils derived from rabbit skeletal muscle has been investigated by partition equilibrium studies at pH 6.8, I = 0.158 M, and the results interpreted in terms of an intrinsic association constant of 410,000 M-1 for the interaction of four sites on aldolase with myofibrillar sites, there being one such site for every 10-12 heptameric repeat units of F-actin-tropomyosin-troponin thin filament. Involvement of the active site of the enzyme in the adsorption process is indicated by the fact that competitive inhibition of the phenomenon by phosphate may be accounted for by an intrinsic association constant of 400 M-1 for the aldolase-phosphate interaction, a value in good agreement with that describing phosphate inhibition of the enzymatic hydrolysis of fructose-1,6-bisphosphate under similar conditions. On the basis of these equilibrium constants plus the aldolase and thin filament contents of muscle, resting muscle is indicated as containing a significant proportion (25-30%) of aldolase in the bound form, with changes in the subcellular distribution of the enzyme being likely during exercise due to the increased concentrations of Ca2+ and fructose-1,6-bisphosphate that then prevail.