Methods for starch-gel electrophoresis of sarcoplasmic proteins. An investigation of the relative mobilities of the glycolytic enzymes from the muscles of a variety of species.

1. Details of an improved method for starch-gel electrophoresis of water-soluble muscle proteins are given. 2. Methods are described for detecting enzyme activities on the starch gel after electrophoresis, by using pieces of filter paper. 3. Compositions of incubation mixtures suitable for detecting any of the enzymes of glycolysis, and certain other enzymes, are given. 4. A comparison of the various enzymes in extracts of several muscles from one rabbit was made; most differences are quantitative only. 5. A detailed comparison of the mobilities of various enzymes in extracts of muscles from a wide variety of species was made. Each species was found to have a characteristic pattern of proteins on the starch gel, and the mobilities of individual enzymes varied considerably. 6. Potential uses and extensions of the methods are discussed.