After an animal dies its muscles start to stiffen before the

After an animal dies, its muscles start to stiffen before the decomposition of tissues relaxes the muscles again. Death is also characteized by calcium flow into the cytosol, due to breakdown of the sarcoplasmic reticulum. Which of the following would you expect to explain this muscle stiffening (i.e. rigor mortis)?

The myosin II heads in skeletal muscle fibers remain attached to actin filaments due to the absence of Ca2+ in these cells.

The ATPase activity of muscle myosin II is inhibited by the elevated Ca2+.

The myosin II heads in skeletal muscle cells remain attached to actin filaments due to the elevated Ca2+ in the muscle fibers.

Tropomyosin unfolds, preventing muscle relaxation.

The myosin II heads in skeletal muscle cells remain attached to actin filaments due to covalent cross-linking.

Solution

Answer: Option 3
The myosin II heads in skeletal muscle cells remain attached to actin filaments due to the elevated Ca2+ in the muscle fibers.
Since there is no ATP, so the actin-myosin filaments stay connected and become stiff.