Influence of myosin heavy chain isoform expression and postmortem metabolism on the ATPase activity of muscle fibers

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of postmortem muscle pH and temperature declines on the actomyosin ATPase activity of muscle fibers expressing different MyHC isoforms. Using a quantitative histochemical procedure to determine ATPase activity, the maximum actomyosin ATPase activity was determined on individual fibers classified by MyHC expression. Samples were collected from the red (RST) and white (WST) semitendinosus muscles at 3 min and 24 h postmortem from electrically stimulated (ES) and control (NS) pork carcasses. In samples taken at 3 min postmortem, type I fibers had the lowest ATPase activity staining and type 2X and 2B had the highest activity staining, with type 2A fibers intermediate. Postmortem time and carcass treatment did not influence the ATPase activity staining of type I muscle fibers. ATPase activity staining of 2A fibers was lower (p<0.001) in 24 h samples than in 3 min samples from ES carcasses. In 3 min and NS-24 h samples, RST type 2A fibers had lower (p<0.05) activities than type 2A fibers from the WST. In type 2X fibers, ATPase activity staining decreased (p<0.01) from 3 min to 24 h postmortem in ES carcasses. This decrease was more severe in WST 2X fibers compared to RST 2X fibers. ATPase activity staining in type 2B fibers did not decrease from 3 min to 24 h postmortem in NS carcasses. In ES carcasses, activity staining of 2B fibers decreased (p<0.0001) with time postmortem. The results of the experiment indicate that fibers expressing fast MyHC isoforms have a higher ATPase activity early postmortem than slow muscle fibers but are more prone to inactivation by a rapid pH decline.