Are there non-catalytic functions of acetylcholinesterases? Lessons from mutant animal models

Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) hydrolyses acetylcholine (ACh) ensuring the fast clearance of released neurotransmitter at cholinergic synapses. Many studies led to the hypothesis that AChE and the closely related enzyme butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) may play other, non-hydrolytic roles during development. In this review, we compare data from in vivo studies performed on invertebrate and vertebrate genetic models. The loss of function of ache in these systems is responsible for the appearance of several phenotypes. In all aspects so far studied, the phenotypes can be explained by an excess of the undegraded substrate, ACh, leading to misfunction and pathological alterations. Thus, the lack of AChE catalytic activity in the mutants appears to be solely responsible for the observed phenotypes. None of them appears to require the postulated adhesive or other non-hydrolytic functions of AChE.