Abstract
The presence and subcellular distribution of D-myo-inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate phosphatase (InsP3ase) in rabbit fast-twitch skeletal muscle were investigated. A specific InsP3ase was found in both sarcotubular-membrane and soluble fractions. Membrane-bound InsP3ase accounted for 60-65% of total activity. The InsP3ase was detected both on the surface membranes and on the InsP3-sensitive intracellular Ca2+ store, i.e. the sarcoplasmic reticulum. The Km for inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (InsP3) ranged between 15 and 18 microM, and the highest Vmax. (19.6 nmol of InsP3 hydrolysed/min per mg of protein) was measured in a membrane fraction enriched in transverse tubules. Several known inhibitors of InsP3ase, e.g. 2,3-bisphosphoglycerate, CdCl2 and EDTA, were active on skeletal-muscle InsP3ase. Total InsP3ase activity of both rabbit and frog skeletal muscle was comparable with that of rabbit brain, liver and main pulmonary artery (smooth muscle). The present results are consistent with the hypothesis that InsP3 plays a role in excitation-contraction coupling in skeletal muscle [Volpe, Salviati, Di Virgilio & Pozzan (1985) Nature (London) 316, 347-349].