抄録
Properties of autolytic breakdown of rat skeletal muscle proteins in the alkaline pH range have been reported. The activity is almost exclusively localized in the myofibrillar fraction, but is not solubilized with Triton X-100. The activity is affected by the KCI concentration in the reaction mixture. In 0.6m and the more concentrated KCI solutions, the maximum activity is attained. The optimum pH of the activity is in the range of pH 7.5_??_9.5, and the optimum temperature is between 47_??_57°C.
This autolytic activity seems to be different from catheptic activity which shows its optimum pH in the acid pH range. Moreover, though more than half of the catheptic activity of rat skeletal muscle is recovered in the myofibrillar fraction, the catheptic activity in the myofibrillar fraction can be removed from the fraction by the extraction with dilute saline solution containing Triton X-100.