Abstract
With respect to the ATP splitting and the light-scattering change upon the addition of ATP to actomyosin solution, the relationship between the velocity of these two phenomena and the ATP concen-tration, in company with the function of inorganic pyrophosphate and some cations, were analysed kinetically and then the mechanism of the two phenomena was proposed.
It is also suggested that the ATP attacking points of actomyosin in the two phenomena are identical with each other and that the number of the active centers per one myosin molecule is six.
The mechanism proposed is able to illustrate the various facts ob-served about muscular contraction.
Finally, we are much indebted to Dr. Juro Horiuchi, the Head of the Research Institute for Catalysis, Prof. Hiroshi Tamiya, of Botanical Department, Faculty of Science (Tokyo University) and Prof. Naomoto Takasugi, of Chemical Department, Faculty of Science, for the facilities they have provided for this work and to Messrs Kin-jiro Sukegawa and Junshiro Makino for valuable technical assistance.
