Influence of phosphate and pH on myofibrillar ATPase activity and force in skinned cardiac trabeculae from rat.

1. The effects of inorganic phosphate (Pi) and pH on maximal calcium-activated isometric force and MgATPase activity were studied in chemically skinned cardiac trabeculae from rat. ATP hydrolysis was coupled enzymatically to the breakdown of NADH, and its concentration was determined photometrically. Measurements were performed at 2.1 microns sarcomere length and 20 degrees C. ATPase activity and force were also determined when square-wave-shaped length changes were applied, with a frequency of 23 Hz and an amplitude of 2.5%. 2. At pH 7.0 without added Pi, the average isometric force (+/- S.E.M.) was 51 +/- 3 kN m-2 (n = 23). The average isometric ATPase activity was 0.43 +/- 0.02 mM s-1 (n = 23). During the changes in length ATPase activity increased to 152 +/- 3% of the isometric value, while the average force level decreased to 48 +/- 2%. 3. Isometric force gradually decreased to 31 +/- 2% of the control value when the Pi concentration was increased to 30 mM. Isometric ATPase activity, however, remained constant for Pi concentrations up to 5 mM and decreased to 87 +/- 3% at 30 mM Pi. When Pi accumulation inside the preparation due to ATP hydrolysis was taken into account, a linear relationship was found between isometric force and log [Pi]. The decrease in relative force was found to be 44 +/- 4% per decade. 4. During the length changes, ATPase activity and average force showed, apart from the increase in ATPase activity and decrease in average force, the same dependence on Pi as the isometric values. Stiffness, estimated from the amplitude of the force responses during the length changes, decreased in proportion to isometric force when the Pi concentration was increased. The changes in the shape of the force responses due to the repetitive changes in length as a function of the Pi concentration were relatively small. These results suggest that the effect of Pi on the transitions which influence ATP turnover is rather insensitive to changes in cross-bridge strain. 5. Isometric force, normalized to the control value at pH 7.0, increased gradually from 54 +/- 1% at pH 6.2 to 143 +/- 10% at pH 7.5. ATPase activity remained practically constant for pH values from 6.8 to 7.2 but decreased to 80 +/- 1% at pH 6.2 and to 83 +/- 5% at pH 7.5. ATPase activity during the length changes was reduced more than the isometric ATPase activity when pH was lowered.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)