Coordinate and discoordinate accumulation of protein constituents in chicken breast muscle

Accumulation of protein constituents in developing chicken breast muscle was examined by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. Quantitative analysis of the two-dimensional gels showed a moderate coordination in accumulation among contractile proteins (actin, tropomyosin and myosin light chains) during postnatal development in spite of their isoform transition. Creatine kinase was also accumulated coordinately with contractile proteins during development. In contrast, accumulation kinetics of glycolytic enzymes (glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, aldolase and enolase) showed discoordination with those of contractile proteins. These findings suggest that there are two distinct phases in muscle maturation: (1) structural maturation and (2) metabolic maturation.