Thermal inactivation of skeletal muscle phosphorylase b: protective effect of the specific ligands

The kinetics of the thermal inactivation of rabbit skeletal muscle phosphorylase b have been studied. Under the condition used (0.08 M HEPES, pH 6.8, 75 mu g/ml phosphorylase b) the enzyme quickly loses its activity at the temperature higher then 49 degrees C. All the specific ligands tested (substrate -glucose 1-phosphate, competitive inhibitor - glucose, allosteric activator - AMP, and allosteric inhibitors - glucose 6-phosphate and FMN) have the pronounced protective effect. The strongest protective action have glucose 6-phosphate and FMN. Quantitative analysis of the inactivation rate constant versus ligand concentration curves allow the enzyme affinity for ligands to be characterized.