The Effects of Phosphate and Acidosis on Regulated Thin-filament Velocity in an in Vitro Motility Assay

Muscle fatigue from intense contractile activity is thought to result, in large part, from the accumulation of inorganic phosphate (P(i)) and hydrogen ions (H(+)) acting to directly inhibit the function of the contractile proteins; however, the molecular basis of this process remain unclear. We used an in vitro motility assay and determined the effects of elevated H(+) and P(i) on the ability of myosin to bind to and translocate regulated actin filaments (RTF) to gain novel insights into the molecular basis of fatigue. At saturating Ca(++), acidosis depressed regulated filament velocity (V(RTF)) by ≈ 90% (6.2 ± 0.3 vs. 0.5 ± 0.2 μm/s at pH 7.4 and 6.5, respectively). However, the addition of 30 mM P(i) caused V(RTF) to increase fivefold, from 0.5 ± 0.2 to 2.6 ± 0.3 μm/s at pH 6.5. Similarly, at all subsaturating Ca(++) levels, acidosis slowed V(RTF), but the addition of P(i) significantly attenuated this effect. We also manipulated the [ADP] in addition to the [P(i)] to probe which specific step(s) of cross-bridge cycle of myosin is affected by elevated H(+). The findings are consistent with acidosis slowing the isomerization step between two actomyosin ADP-bound states. Because the state before this isomerization is most vulnerable to P(i) rebinding, and the associated detachment from actin, this finding may also explain the P(i)-induced enhancement of V(RTF) at low pH. These results therefore may provide a molecular basis for a significant portion of the loss of shortening velocity and possibly muscular power during fatigue.