Post-mortem glycolysis in ox skeletal muscle. Effect of temperature on the concentrations of glycolytic intermediates and cofactors

Abstract

1. Post-mortem changes in the concentrations of the following compounds in ox sternomandibularis muscles stored in nitrogen at 1°, 5° and 15° are reported: Pi creatine phosphate, hexose monophosphates, fructose diphosphate, triose phosphates, α-glycerophosphate, phosphoglycerates, lactate, ATP, ADP, AMP, NAD+ and total nucleotides. Some results obtained with muscles stored at 37° are included. 2. At the time the muscles were placed at controlled temperatures (about 1·5hr. post mortem) the phosphorus in the compounds measured accounted for 91±6% (s.d.) of the total acid-soluble phosphate. 3. The results indicated that at all temperatures the activities of the phosphorylase and phosphofructokinase steps limited the rate and the extent of post-mortem glycolysis. 4. The large variations in hexose monophosphate concentrations during storage indicated that the ratio of phosphorylase to phosphofructokinase activity varied considerably with time and temperature. 5. Between 3·5 and 7hr. post mortem the rates of glycolysis and of ATP turnover were not slower at 5° that at 15°, and were probably faster at 1°. The significance of this finding is discussed.