Unusual catalytic activities and functions of cholinesterases.
Cholinesterases (acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase) have been shown to exhibit not only esterase activity but also an amine sensitive aryl acylamidase and a metallo-carboxypeptidase activities. There is also evidence to indicate that they have functions in the substantia nigra of brain, in neural cell differentiation, cell division and tumorigenesis, cell-adhesion and detoxication mechanisms. Butyrylcholinesterase is suggested to act as a back-up enzyme in acetylcholinesterase knock-out mice. Cholinesterases have catalytic or non-catalytic roles in these functions. Partial sequence homology to many other proteins having different functions and a metal binding site which can influence functions are probably factors that confer the non-cholinergic functions and activities on cholinesterases.
Department of Biotechnology, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore 641 046, Tamilnadu, India. balab@vsnl.net
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Balasubramanian
D000588:Amines / Q000737:chemistry; D000818:Animals; D002384:Catalysis; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002802:Cholinesterases / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D006868:Hydrolysis; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism; D012701:Serotonin / Q000737:chemistry; D013378:Substantia Nigra / Q000378:metabolism
D000588:Amines; D012701:Serotonin; D002802:Cholinesterases