No abstract

Selective mutants of mouse acetylcholinesterase (AChE; EC 3.1.1.7) phosphonylated with chiral S(P)- and R(P)-cycloheptyl, -3,3-dimethylbutyl, and -isopropyl methylphosphonyl thiocholines were subjected to reactivation by the oximes HI-6 and 2-PAM and their reactivation kinetics compared with wild-type AChE and butyrylcholinesterase (EC 3.1.1.8). Mutations in the choline binding site (Y337A, Y337A/F338A) or combined with acyl pocket mutations (F295L/Y337A, F297I/Y337A, F295L/F297I/Y337A) were employed to enlarge active center gorge dimensions. HI-6 was more efficient than 2-PAM (up to 29000 times) as a reactivator of S(P)-phosphonates (k(r) ranged from 50 to 13000 min(-1) M(-1)), while R(P) conjugates were reactivated by both oximes at similar, but far slower, rates (k(r) < 10 min(-1) M(-1)). The Y337A substitution accelerated all reactivation rates over the wild-type AChE and enabled reactivation even of R(P)-cycloheptyl and R(P)-3,3-dimethylbutyl conjugates that when formed in wild-type AChE are resistant to reactivation. When combined with the F295L or F297I mutations in the acyl pocket, the Y337A mutation showed substantial enhancements of reactivation rates of the S(P) conjugates. The greatest enhancement of 120-fold was achieved with HI-6 for the F295L/Y337A phosphonylated with the most bulky alkoxy moiety, S(P)-cycloheptyl methylphosphonate. This significant enhancement is likely a direct consequence of simultaneously increasing the dimensions of both the choline binding site and the acyl pocket. The increase in dimensions allows for optimizing the angle of oxime attack in the spatially impacted gorge as suggested from molecular modeling. Rates of reactivation reach values sufficient for consideration of mixtures of a mutant enzyme and an oxime as a scavenging strategy in protection and treatment of organophosphate exposure.

A series of eight double and triple mutants of mouse acetylcholinesterase (AChE; EC 3.1.1.7), with substitutions corresponding to residues found largely within the butyrylcholinesterase (BChE; EC 3.1.1.8) active-centre gorge, was analysed to compare steady-state kinetic constants for substrate turnover and inhibition parameters for enantiomeric methylphosphonate esters. The mutations combined substitutions in the acyl pocket (Phe 295 →Leu and Phe 297 → Ile) with the choline-binding site (Tyr 337 → Ala and Phe 338 → Ala) and with a side chain (Glu 202 → Gln) N-terminal to the active-site serine, Ser 203 . The mutations affected catalysis by increasing K m and decreasing k cat , but these constants were typically affected by an order of magnitude or less, a relatively small change compared with the catalytic potential of AChE. To analyse the constraints on stereoselective phosphonylation, the mutant enzymes were reacted with a congeneric series of S P -and R P -methylphosphonates of known absolute stereochemistry. Where possible, the overall reaction rates were deconstructed into the primary constants for formation of the reversible complex and intrinsic phosphonylation. The multiple mutations greatly reduced the reaction rates of the more reactive S P -methylphosphonates, whereas the rates of reaction with the R P -methylphosphonates were markedly enhanced. With the phosphonates of larger steric bulk, the enhancement of rates for the R P enantiomers, coupled with the reduction of the S P enantiomers, was sufficient to invert markedly the enantiomeric preference. The sequence of mutations to enlarge the size of the AChE active-centre gorge, resembling in part the more spacious gorge of BChE, did not show an ordered conversion into BChE reactivity as anticipated for a rigid template. Rather, the individual aromatic residues may mutually interact to confer a distinctive stereospecificity pattern towards organophosphates.

1. The kinetics of the reaction of di-(2-chloroethyl) 3-chloro-4-methylcoumarin-7-yl phosphate (haloxon) and related compounds with acetylcholinesterase were studied and found to be unusual. 2. By a progressive reaction haloxon produces a di-(2-chloroethyl)phosphorylated enzyme. The influence of substrate on this reaction leading to a phosphorylated active centre was studied. From competition experiments between inhibitor and substrate values of K(m) for acetylcholine and acetylthiocholine of 0.79mm and 0.23mm respectively were derived. 3. Haloxon also combines with acetylcholinesterase by a non-progressive reaction, producing a complex that is reversible by dilution and by high concentrations of acetylcholine and acetylthiocholine. From this non-progressive reaction the competition between haloxon and substrate was studied, and it was shown that haloxon combines with a site involved in inhibition by substrate. From competition experiments the following dissociation constants were derived: for combination of haloxon and this site K(i) is 4.9mum and for the combination of substrates with this site K(88) values are 12mm and 3.3mm for acetylcholine and acetylthiocholine respectively. 4. The non-phosphorus-containing compound 3-chloro-7-hydroxy-4-methylcoumarin was shown to be a good reagent for the site involved in inhibition by substrate; its dissociation constant for the combination with this site is 30mum. 5. In order to interpret the experimental results, theoretical equations were derived for an enzyme with two binding sites to both of which substrate and inhibitor can combine. The equations correlate the activity of the enzyme with the concentration of substrate and inhibitor, for both progressive and non-progressive inhibition. These equations are applicable to reactions of acetylcholinesterase with organophosphorus compounds, carbamates etc. and may be applicable to other enzymes possessing two binding sites.