Acetylcholinesterase forms

Moral-Naranjo, M.T., Cabezas-Herrera, J., Campoy, F.J., Vidal, C.J. (1997). Differential glycosylation of asymmetric acetylcholinesterase forms in external and internal muscle membranes. Biochem. Soc. Trans. 25 441S. 

Enzyme-Catalyzed Reactions Enzymes are highly specific catalysts for biochemical reactions, with each enzyme showing a selectivity for a single reactant, or substrate. For example, acetylcholinesterase is an enzyme that catalyzes the decomposition of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine to choline and acetic acid. Many enzyme-substrate reactions follow a simple mechanism consisting of the initial formation of an enzyme-substrate complex, ES, which subsequently decomposes to form product, releasing the enzyme to react again. 

An adjacent tnfluoromethyl group sharply increases the electrophilic character of the carbonyl carbon Compounds that readily form hydrates and hemiacetals show a time-dependent reversible mhibition of the en yme acetylcholinesterase (equation 2), in which the tight complex makes inhibition only partially reversible [75] In comparison with a nonfluormated analogue, several aliphatic ketones flanked by CFj and CF2 groups, are exceptionally potent reversible inhibitors of acetylcholinesterase, as documented by companson of inhibition constants shown in equation 3 [16 ... 

This process of aging is believed to be critical in the development of delayed neuropathy, after NTE has been phosphorylated by an OP (see Chapter 10, Section 10.2.4). It is believed that most, if not all, of the B-esterases are sensitive to inhibition by OPs because they, too, have reactive serine at their active sites. It is important to emphasize that the interaction shown in Fignre 2.11 occurs with OPs that contain an oxon group. Phosphorothionates, which contain instead a thion group, do not readily interact in this way. Many OP insecticides are phosphorothionates, but these need to be converted to phosphate (oxon) forms by oxidative desulfuration before inhibition of acetylcholinesterase can proceed to any significant extent (see Section 2.3.2.2). 

Mechanism of action can be an important factor determining selectivity. In the extreme case, one group of organisms has a site of action that is not present in another group. Thus, most of the insecticides that are neurotoxic have very little phytotoxicity indeed, some of them (e.g., the OPs dimethoate, disyston, and demeton-5 -methyl) are good systemic insecticides. Most herbicides that act upon photosynthesis (e.g., triaz-ines and substituted ureas) have very low toxicity to animals (Table 2.7). The resistance of certain strains of insects to insecticides is due to their possessing a mutant form of the site of action, which is insensitive to the pesticide. Examples include certain strains of housefly with knockdown resistance (mutant form of Na+ channel that is insensitive to DDT and pyrethroids) and strains of several species of insects that are resistant to OPs because they have mutant forms of acetylcholinesterase. These... 

Acetylcholine is formed from acetyl CoA (produced as a byproduct of the citric acid and glycolytic pathways) and choline (component of membrane lipids) by the enzyme choline acetyltransferase (ChAT). Following release it is degraded in the extracellular space by the enzyme acetylcholinesterase (AChE) to acetate and choline. The formation of acetylcholine is limited by the intracellular concentration of choline, which is determined by the (re)uptake of choline into the nerve ending (Taylor Brown, 1994). 

Mallick, B. N. Thakkar, M. (1992). Effect of REM sleep deprivation on molecular forms of acetylcholinesterase in rats. Neuroreport 3, 676-8. 

Arpagaus, M., Richier, P., Berge, J.-B. and Toutant, J.-P. (1992) Acetylcholinesterases of the nematode Steinemema carpocapsae. Characterization of two types of amphiphilic forms differing in their mode of membrane association. European Journal of Biochemistry 207, 1101-1108. 

Grigg, M.E., Tang, L., Hussein, A.S. and Selkirk, M.E. (1997) Purification and properties of monomeric (Gl) forms of acetylcholinesterase secreted by Nippostrongylus brasiliensis. Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology 90, 513-524. 

Pritchard, D.I., Brown, A. and Toutant, J.-P. (1994) The molecular forms of acetylcholinesterase from Necator americanus (Nematoda), a hookworm parasite of the human intestine. European Journal of Biochemistry 219, 317-323. 

Toutant, J.-P. (1989) Insect acetylcholinesterase catalytic properties, tissue distribution and molecular forms. Progress in Neurobiology 32, 423 46. 

Observations The preliminary treatment of the cholinesterase-containing material with allelochemical (or other compound, e.g. active oxygen species, ozone free radicals and peroxides, formed in allelopathic relations) is for 30 min, then a substrate acetylcholinesterase is added to the reaction medium and final reaction of hydrolysis is for 1 h. 

In this system, choline formed by acetylcholinesterase is oxidized by choline oxidase and the hydrogen peroxide produced is determined using the luminol/peroxidase CL reaction. The sensor has been used for the analysis of Paraoxon and Aldicarb pesticides, with detection limits of 0.75 pg/L and 4 pg/ L, respectively. Recoveries in the range of 81-108% in contaminated samples of soils and vegetables were obtained. 

Acetylcholinesterases exist in several molecular forms governed by alternative splicing 195... 

The development of nerve gases in World War II, especially di-isopropylphosphofluoridate, (DIPF), promoted urgent investigations of their bases of action. Adrian et al. and Mackworth showed esterases, particularly acetylcholinesterase, were strongly inhibited (1941). The range of hydrolases sensitive to DIPF was extensive and included chymotrypsin and trypsin, both of which were available in purified crystalline form. DI PF was used to inhibit either enzyme, after which... 

Cholinesterases are subdivided into acetylcholinesterase and cholinesterase, one with a narrow, the other with broad substrate specificity [109-112], Both enzymes exist in multiple molecular forms distinguishable by their subunits association (Fig. 2.4). The hydrodynamic properties of these associations have allowed globular (G) and asymmetric (A) forms to be distinguished. The G forms can be hydrophilic (water-soluble, and excreted into body fluids) or amphiphilic (membrane-bound). The homomeric class exists... 

Fig. 2.4. Schematic model of the molecular polymorphism of acetylcholinesterase and cholinesterase [110][112a]. Open circles represent the globular (G) catalytic subunits. Disulfide bonds are indicated by S-S. The homomeric class exists as monomers (Gl), dimers (G2), and tetramers (G4) and can be subdivided into hydrophilic (water-soluble) and amphiphilic (membrane-bound) forms. The G2 amphiphilic forms of erythrocytes have a glycophospholipid anchor. The heteromeric class exists as amphiphilic G4 and as asymmetric forms (A) containing one to three tetramers. Thus, heteromeric G4 forms found in brain are anchored into a phospholipid membrane through a 20 kDa anchor. The asymmetric A12 forms have three hydrophilic G4 heads linked to a collagen tail via disulfide bonds.

Most enzymes bind their substrates in a non-covalent manner but, for those that do bind covalently, the intermediate must be less stable than either substrate or product. Many of the enzymes that involve covalent catalysis are hydrolytic enzymes these include proteases, lipases, phosphatases and also acetylcholinesterase. Some of these enzymes possess a serine residue in the active site, which reacts with the substrate to form an acylenzyme intermediate that is attacked by water to complete the hydrolysis (Fignre 3.3). 

Figure 14.9 Axonal transport of enzymes, neurotransmitter synthesis, storage in vesicles, release and uptake by presynaptic neurone or enzymic degradation. The neurotransmitter in the synaptic cleft may be removed by the presynaptic neurone (i.e. recycling), by the postsynaptic neurone or by glial cells (not shown). Alternatively, the neurotransmitter may be degraded, and therefore inactivated, by enzyme action. For example, acetylcholine is degraded by acetylcholinesterase in the synaptic cleft (Chapter 3). One of the products, choline, is transported back into the neurone to be reacted with acetyl-CoA to re-form acetylcholine. The vesicle, once empty, may also be recycled for re-packaging (Figure 14.8).

Another drug with a high incidence of hepatotoxicity is the acetylcholinesterase inhibitor tacrine. Binding of reactive metabolites to liver tissue correlated with the formation of a 7-hydroxy metabolite [13], highly suggestive of a quinone imine metabolite as the reactive species. Such a metabolite would be formed by further oxidation of 7-hydroxy tacrine (Figure 8.11). 

Tlie neurotransmitter acetylcholine is both a quaternary ammonium compound (see Box 6.7) and an ester. After interaction with its receptor, acetylcholine is normally degraded by hydrolysis in a reaction catalysed by the enzyme acetylcholinesterase. This enzyme contains a serine residue that acts as the nucleophile, hydrolysing the ester linkage in acetylcholine (see Box 13.4). This effectively acetylates the serine hydroxyl, and is an example of transesterification (see Section 7.9.1). For continuation of acetylcholine degradation, the original form of the enzyme must be regenerated by a further ester hydrolysis reaction. 

Malathion and parathion contain a P=S grouping, exemplifying a further carbonyl analogue, in which phosphorus replaces carbon, and sulfur replaces oxygen. Nevertheless, the same type of chemistry occurs, in which the serine hydroxyl of the insect s acetylcholinesterase attacks this P=S electrophile, followed by expulsion of the leaving group, here a thiolate. The esterified enzyme, however, is not hydrolysed back to the original form of the... 

Even more reactive towards acetylcholinesterase are the organophosphorus derivatives developed as chemical warfare nerve agents, e.g. sarin. Such compounds react readily with the enzyme and form very stable addition intermediates. It is unusual to see fluoride as a leaving group, as in sarin, but its presence provides a huge inductive effect, thus accelerating the initial nucleophilic addition step (see also Section 13.7). 

Such an intermediate is known to be formed in reactions catalyzed by trypsin, chymotrypsin, thrombin, other enzymes of the blood-clotting cascade (except angiotensinconverting enzyme, which is an aspartic protease). An acyl-serine intermediate is also formed in the acetylcholinesterase reaction. The active site serine of this enzyme and the serine proteases can be alkylated by diisopropyl-fluorophosphate. See also Active Site Titration... 

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