Goldfish muscle energy metabolism during electrical stimulation

Concentrations of key metabolites were determined in goldfish red muscle, while muscle and blood before and after direct electrical stimulation of the myotome (60 pulses/min, amplitude 500 mV, 10 msec pulse duration, during 10 min at 20 degrees C). In white muscle, levels of ATP, aspartate and adenylate energy charge are significantly lowered while those of AMP, IMP, NH3, alpha-ketoglutarate, lactate and malate are increased. In red muscle, the only change induced by stimulation is a 160% increase of the lactate level. In white muscle, IMP-accumulation and ammonia production are equal, suggesting the AMP-deaminase reaction to be the major source of muscular ammonia. Activation of white muscle adenylosuccinate synthetase and adenylosuccinase is suggested by the conversion of aspartate into malate during increased energy demand. There is no evidence of ammonia incorporation into alanine, glutamate or glutamine.