Binding sites of Torpedo acetylcholinesterase (EC 3.1.1.7) for quaternary ligands were investigated by x-ray crystallography and photoaffinity labeling. Crystal structures ofcomplexes with ligands were determined at 2.8-A resolution. In a complex with edrophonium, the quaternary nitrogen of the ligand interacts with the indole of Trp-84, and Its m-hydroxyl displays bilbrcated hydrogen bonding to two members of the catalytic triad, Ser-200 and Hls-440. In a complex with tacrine, the acridine Is stacked against the indole of Trp-84. The bisquaternary ligand decamethonium Is oriented along the narrow gorge leading to the active site; one quaternary group Is apposed to the indole of Trp-84 and the other to that of Trp-279, near the top of the gorge. The only major conformational difference between the three complexes is in the orientation of the phenyl ring of Phe-330. In the decamethonium complex it lies parallel to the surface of the gorge; in the other two complexes it is positioned to make contact with the bound ligand. This dose Interaction was confirmed by photoaffnity labeling by the photosensitive probe 3H-labeled p-(N,Ndimethylamlno)benzenediazonium fluoroborate, which labeled, predominantly, Phe-330 within the active dte. Labeling ofTrp-279 was also observed. One mole oflabel is incorporated per mole of AcChoEase inactivated, indicating that labeling of Trp-279 and that of Phe-330 are mutually exclusive. The structural and chemical data, together, show the important role ofaromatic groups as binding sites for quaternary ligands, and they provide complementary evidence assigning and Phe-330 to the "anionic" subsite of the active site and Trp-279 to the "peripheral" anionic site.

Alpha-synuclein (alpha-syn) is the major component of intracellular inclusions in several neurodegenerative diseases, and the conversion of soluble alpha-syn into filamentous aggregates may contribute to disease pathogenesis. Since mechanisms leading to the formation of alpha-syn inclusions are unclear, in vitro models of alpha-syn aggregation may yield insights into this process. To that end, we examined the consequences on the progressive deletion of the carboxy-terminus of alpha-syn in regulating fibril formation, and we show here that carboxy-terminal truncated alpha-syn proteins aggregate faster than the full-length molecule. Protease digestion and immunoelectron microscopy indicate that the alpha-syn amino- and carboxy-termini are more solvent exposed than the central core and that filaments formed from carboxy-terminal truncated alpha-syn are narrower in diameter than the full-length molecule. Moreover, seeding experiments under conditions where full-length alpha-syn did not readily aggregate revealed that carboxy-truncated alpha-syn extending from amino acids 1-102 and 1-110 but not 1-120 were efficient in seeding full-length alpha-syn aggregation over a range of concentrations. Using site-directed mutagenesis, the negatively charged residues 104, 105 and 114, 115 in the carboxy-terminus were implicated in this reduced aggregation and the lack of seeding of full-length alpha-syn fibrillogenesis by 1-120. Our data support the view that the middle region of alpha-syn forms the core of alpha-syn filaments and that negative charges in the carboxy-terminus counteract alpha-syn aggregation. Thus, the carboxy-terminus of alpha-syn may regulate aggregation of full-length alpha-syn and determine the diameter of alpha-syn filaments.

The identification of a novel mutation (E46K) in one of the KTKEGV-type repeats in the amino-terminal region of ␣-synuclein suggests that this region and, more specifically, Glu residues in the repeats may be important in regulating the ability of ␣-synuclein to polymerize into amyloid fibrils. It was demonstrated that the E46K mutation increased the propensity of ␣-synuclein to fibrillize, but this effect was less than that of the A53T mutation. The substitution of Glu 46 for an Ala also increased the assembly of ␣-synuclein, but the polymers formed can have different ultrastructures, further indicating that this amino acid position has a significant effect on the assembly process. The effect of residue Glu 83 in the sixth repeat of ␣-synuclein, which lies closest to the amino acid stretch critical for filament assembly, was also studied. Mutation of Glu 83 to a Lys or Ala increased polymerization but perturbed some of the properties of mature amyloid. These results demonstrated that some of the Glu residues within the repeats can have significant effects on modulating the assembly of ␣-synuclein to form amyloid fibrils. The greater effect of the A53T mutation, even when compared with what may be predicted to be a more dramatic mutation such as E46K, underscores the importance of protein microenvironment in affecting protein structure. Moreover, the relative effects of the A53T and E46K mutations are consistent with the age of onset of disease. These findings support the notion that aberrant ␣-synuclein polymerization resulting in the formation of pathological inclusions can lead to disease.