Question

If muscles run out of fuel from fat, sugar, and lipid then ATP levels can drop. Describe two protein machines and the associated biochemical mechanisms that would be directly influenced by low ATP levels that could reduce or eliminate the ability of your body to release contracted muscles?

Answer 1

The two protein machine are actin and myosin. The muscle is composed of two type of protein filaments. One is thick filament composed of myosin protein and other is thin filament composed of actin protein. Muscle contraction occurs when these filaments slide over each other. The sliding of these filaments occurs due to formation of cross breeze between actin and myosin. Myosin head binds with actin to form cross breeze. Now ATP is required to break the actin myosin connection so that myosin head change its position and attaches with next actin. Process continues till ATP is available. In case of extreme shortage of ATP the contracted muscles remain contracted and relaxed muscles remain relaxed because of disruption of contraction--elaxation cycle.