Effect of calcium and nucleotide on the degradation and water holding capacity of myofibrillar proteins.

ABSTRACT

Beef chicken myofibrollar proteins were used as substrates to study the effect of CaC1[2], ATP and beef musclc lysosomal enzymes on protein degradation. Degradation of beef and chicken myofibrillar proteins was measured using sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis [SDS-PAGE], water holding capacity [WHC] and non-protein nitrogen [NPN]. The reaction were carried out at pH 5.5 and 7.0 at 4° and 37° for 1.5,6,24 and 96 hr. The influence of CaC1[2], ATP and lysosomal enzymes independently and in combination on WHC of myofibrillar proteins was studied. CaC1[2] or ATP decreased WHC at both pH 5.5 and 7.0. The WHC of the treated sample with a mixture of CaCl[2] and ATP was less than that of untreated proteins. The WHC of samples reached with lysosomal enzymes was enhanced by adding ATP, CaC1[2], and a mixture of both