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Query: EC:3.1.1.7 (acetylcholinesterase)
28,390 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

We have distinguished three fractions of acetylcholinesterase (AcChoE; acetylcholine acetylhydrolase, EC 3.1.1.7) from Torpedo marmorata electric organs, according to their solubilization characteristics. The low-salt-aggregating collagen-tailed forms are soluble in high-salt buffers; their hydrodynamic properties ae not modified in the presence of detergents. They constitute the A fraction, which amounts to about a third of the tissue's AcChoE activity. The low-salt-soluble (LSS) and detergent-soluble (DS) fractions are not sensitive to ionic strength and collagenase. In the presence of nonionic detergents or bile salts, both fractions behave as a monodisperse "6.3S" form, the properties of which have been investigated mostly in the case of Triton X-100. Disulfide bond reduction dissociates the detergent form into a smaller "5S" form. These two forms are thought to be, respectively, detergent-associated dimers and monomers. In the absence of detergent, the LSS fraction is polydisperse: it contains a major 8S component, 11S and 14S components, and faster-sedimenting aggregates, which appear to represent dimers, tetramers, and higher polymers. The heterogeneity of the 8S component in gel filtration suggests that it also contains variable noncatalytic elements. Upon removal of the detergent the DS fraction forms ill-defined aggregates. Trypsin induces quaternary rearrangements of part of the 8S component into 11S and 14S components, which are still convertible into the detergent form; therefore trypsin probably digests noncatalytic elements. Pronase and proteinase K, on the other hand, convert the enzyme into a dimeric form, G2, that does not interact with detergents, probably by cleaving a minor fragment of the subunit that is involved in hydrophobic interactions.
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PMID:Collagen-tailed and hydrophobic components of acetylcholinesterase in Torpedo marmorata electric organ. 693 97

The levels and molecular forms of acetylcholinesterase (AChE, EC 3.1.1.7) and pseudocholinesterase (psiChE, EC 3.1.1.8) were examined in various skeletal muscles, cardiac muscles, and neural tissues from normal and dystrophic chickens. The relative amount of the heavy (Hc) form of AChE in mixed-fibre-type twitch muscles varies in proportion to the percentage of glycolytic fast-twitch fibres. Conversely, muscles with higher levels of oxidative fibres (i.e., slow-tonic oxidative-glycolytic fast-twitch, or oxidative slow-twitch) have higher proportions of the light (L) form of AChE. The effects of dystrophy on AChE and psiChE are more severe in muscles richer in glycolytic fast-twitch fibres (e.g., pectoral or posterior latissimus dorsi, PLD); there is no alteration of AChE or psiChE in a slow-tonic muscle. In the pectoral of PLD muscles from older dystrophic chickens, however, the AChE forms revert to a normal distribution while the pesChE pattern remains abnormal. Muscle psiChE is sensitive to collagenase in a similar way as is AChE, thus apparently having a similar tailed structure. Unlike skeletal muscle, cardiac muscle has very high levels of psiChE, present mainly as the L form; AChE is present mainly as the medium (M) form, with smaller amounts of L and Hc. The latter pattern of AChE forms resembles that seen in several neural tissues examined. No alterations in AChE or psiChE were found in cardiac or neural tissues from dystrophic chickens.
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PMID:Comparison of the molecular forms of the cholinesterases in tissues of normal and dystrophic chickens. 706 26

The developmental profiles of the enzyme acetylcholinesterase, and of some of its quaternary structural forms, characterized by discrete sedimentation coefficients, have been comparatively analyzed in chick retina and optic tectum, between embryonic day 8 and day 10 after hatching. Four molecular species of AChE have been characterized in both retina and tectum during this developmental period: two of them with sedimentation coefficients of 11S and 6S, accounting together for 94-99% of the AChE activity in the initial homogenate, can be easily extracted by homogenization in a buffer containing 1% Triton X-100 and 1 M NaC1, at 4 degrees C. The other two, however, are not extractable by such treatment, but can be released by collagenase from the residue left after the detergent-salt extraction; they have apparent sedimentation coefficients of 21.5S and 16.5S and represent, together, less than 2% of activity in the initial homogenate. All four forms of the enzyme show distinctive patterns of change during the developmental period considered, with significant differences between retina and tectum. These differences are discussed in the context of the specific roles of retina and tectum in the visual process.
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PMID:Molecular forms of acetylcholinesterase in the developing chick visual system. 721 2

In rat pheochromocytoma (PC12) cells treated with nerve growth factor (NGF), there are several molecular forms of the enzyme acetylcholinesterase (AChE) which sediment on sucrose density gradients at 4 to 6, 10, and 16 S, respectively. We have investigated the cellular localization of these forms in PC12 cells. In order to determine which forms are soluble and which are membrane bound, we extracted PC12 cells in buffers of various ionic strengths and detergent compositions. To distinguish internal from external forms of the enzyme, we examined the effect of di-isopropyl fluorophosphate and BW284c51 dibromide, membrane-permeable and -impermeable inhibitors of AChE, respectively, AChE forms in intact cells. We also determined the susceptibility of the forms in intact cells to collagenase treatment. Based on these studies, we conclude that the globular G1 and G2 (4 to 6 S) forms are internal and consist of both soluble and membrane-associated species. Thirty percent of the G4 (10 S) form is bound to cytoplasmic membrane structures, while the remainder occurs as an integral component of the plasma membrane. The asymmetric A12 (16 S) form is also a surface protein but is extracted by high salt without detergent and is released from intact cells by collagenase. This form thus contains a collagenous domain and is located outside of the plasma membrane, where it may be associated with an extracellular matrix.
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PMID:Cellular localization of the molecular forms of acetylcholinesterase in rat pheochromocytoma PC12 cells treated with nerve growth factor. 731 Apr 86

Rat obturator nerve 16S acetylcholinesterase (16S AChE) was separated by sucrose gradient velocity sedimentation and compared to the 16S form of AChE similarly derived from endplate regions of anterior gracilis muscles. The 16S AChE from both tissues could only be extracted in high ionic strength buffer; as it aggregated under low ionic strength conditions. Treatment of nerve and muscle 16S AChE with purified collagenase, in the presence of calcium, caused an identical "shift" in the enzyme's sedimentation coefficient to 17.5S. Other properties which were also equivalent for 16S AChE from both tissue sources included: an excess substrate inhibition above 2 x 10(-3) M acetylcholine and Km of 1.6 x 10(-4) M, relative sensitivity to the specific inhibitors BW284C51 (I50 of 5 x 10(-8) M) and Iso-OMPA (I50 of 5 x 10(-4) M), and a half maximal thermal inactivation at 62.5 degrees C. These and additional results indicate that the 16S forms of AChE in both tissues are analogous molecules, which have a highly asymmetric conformation probably containing a collagen-like domain. The present findings are also consistent with the view that motor neurons provide at least a fraction of the 16S AChE present at the neuromuscular junction.
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PMID:Properties of 16S acetylcholinesterase from rat motor nerve skeletal muscle. 732 60

The ionic detergent sodium cholate, in the presence of 1 M NaCl, solubilizes a 20S acetylcholinesterase from chick retina and other brain tissues previously extracted with a buffered solution containing 1% Triton X-100 and 1 M NaCl. This 20S acetylcholinesterase appears to be a tailed form of the enzyme which, upon collagenase digestion, is converted to a 22S (mainly) form. This finding suggests that the vertebrate central nervous system does contain asymmetric, collagen-tailed forms of acetylcholinesterase, as is the case in skeletal muscle and cholinergic ganglia.
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PMID:Solubilization of 20S acetylcholinesterase from the chick central nervous system. 744 70

Acetylcholine, acetylthiocholine, carbachol, suberyldicholine, propionylcholine, succinylcholine, methylfurmethide and F 2268 were tested on motor nerve ending currents recorded with an extracellular microelectrode. The isolated and transversally cut cutaneous pectoris muscle of frog Rana ridibunda was used. Only acetylcholine and acetylthiocholine affected the spike waveforms in a concentration-dependent manner. Lower concentrations (1-6 x 10(-4) M) prolonged the inward Na+ current and increased the outward K+ current at the proximal and central parts of the nerve terminal. Most remote parts of the terminal were not affected. At 7 x 10(-4) M and higher, both drugs further prolonged the Na+ current and eliminated the K+ component of the spike. The potentiating effect of acetylcholine and acetylthiocholine on the K+ phase of nerve terminal current disappeared after treatment with tetraethylammonium and 4-aminopyridine. The effect also disappeared when synaptic cholinesterase was inhibited by the anticholinesterases or by treatment with collagenase. Reactivation of cholinesterase by dipyroxime restored the facilitating effect of acetylcholine. Choline and slight acidification to pH 6.8 did not mimic the acetylcholine action on the terminal currents. Facilitation of the K+ current by acetylcholine was not calcium-dependent. The results indicate that lower acetylcholine concentrations inhibit the delayed rectifier only, whereas 7 x 10(-4) M and higher concentrations of acetylcholine depress all outward currents of the terminal.
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PMID:The effect of acetylcholine and related drugs on currents at the frog motor nerve terminal. 782 42

Asymmetric forms of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) are thought to be the predominant forms of this enzyme at vertebrate neuromuscular junctions where they attach to the synaptic basal lamina via a collagen-like tail. High salt and heparin-containing buffers are capable of solubilizing asymmetric AChE molecules from skeletal muscle; however, detachment of AChE specifically from synaptic basal lamina using these procedures has not been demonstrated. To determine whether AChE can be solubilized from mature neuromuscular junctions, adult quail muscle fibers were extracted with buffered detergent solutions containing either 0.05 M NaCl, 1 m NaCl, 0.5-2 mg/ml heparin, 8 M urea, or 4 m guanidine HCl, and the remaining AChE molecules were localized by indirect immunofluorescence. Analysis of extracted AChE oligomeric forms showed that low salt buffers containing heparin and high salt buffers were capable of solubilizing substantial amounts of catalytically active collagen-tailed AChE, whereas none of these buffers were capable of detaching AChE from synaptic basal lamina. In contrast, digestion with purified collagenase detached asymmetric forms from the non-extractable fraction and removed the AChE from the neuromuscular junctions. Parallel experiments using rat gastrocnemius muscle and enzyme histochemistry to detect AChE gave similar results. These studies indicate that the junctional AChE molecules are firmly attached to the extracellular matrix and that all the conventional extraction buffers used to solubilize the asymmetric collagen-tailed forms of AChE are incapable of detaching this enzyme from the synaptic basal lamina.
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PMID:Localization of "non-extractable" acetylcholinesterase to the vertebrate neuromuscular junction. 836 Jan 97

Acridine ligand affinity chromatography is an effective means of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) purification. However, the synthesis of these resins is laborious and expensive. We have developed an acridine ligand affinity resin that is easy to produce, inexpensive, and selective for AChE over butyrylcholinesterase. The resin is produced in a single synthetic step by attaching the aminoacridine tacrine to epoxy-activated Sepharose. AChE from bovine serum (59% yield), Torpedo electric organ (27-60% yield), and two commercial sources of eel AChE (> 92% yield) is purified using the affinity resin. One commercial source of eel AChE contains two proteins with molecular weights of 80 and 55 kDa upon purification, while two proteins with molecular weights of 55 and 25 kDa are isolated from the other commercial source, presumably representing degraded AChE. The degradation state of the commercially available eel AChE preparations did not influence their specific activities. The isolation of AChE from bovine serum results in a single 80-kDa protein. However, butyrylcholinesterase is not purified from the serum. Using the tacrine affinity resin, and 80-kDa AChE, solubilized from Torpedo electric organ membranes by protease digestion, can also be purified. Velocity sedimentation analysis of the Torpedo AChE reveals that the molecular forms isolated are either tetrameric or asymmetric when solubilized by collagenase or trypsin, respectively. Overall, the tacrine affinity resin which is simple and inexpensive to produce allows for the selective isolation of AChE from diverse biological matrices.
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PMID:Purification of acetylcholinesterase by tacrine affinity chromatography. 852 21

Three-dimensional structures of the nerves of the guinea-pig gallbladder, after histochemical demonstration of the acetylcholinesterase activity and HCl hydrolysis-collagenase digestion, were examined by scanning electron microscope. HCl-collagenase digestion facilitated easy identification of silver- and gold-intensified acetylcholinesterase-positive nerve fibers at a high accelerating voltage (25 kV), due to their strong reflection image. Ganglia were either triangular or ovoidal in shape. Dense para- and peri-vascular nerve fibers occurred around the cystic artery. There were a few intramuscular nerve fibers with varicosity-like structures among smooth muscle bundles. Dense branched and tapering nerve fibers with varicosities in the lamina propria mucosae were closely attached to epithelial cells. The acetylcholinesterase-positive fibers in the lamina propria and peri- and para-vascular nerves, and fewer positive fibers in the smooth muscle layer probably represent cholinergic nerves involved in the concentration of biliary compounds and lesser in the motor function of the smooth muscle.
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PMID:Scanning electron microscopic observations of nerves in the guinea-pig gallbladder after an acetylcholinesterase histochemistry. 858 3


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