Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Cholinesterases: Distribution and Function01:22

Cholinesterases: Distribution and Function

Cholinesterases are a group of serine hydrolase enzymes that play a crucial role in the breakdown of choline esters. The two primary types of cholinesterases are acetylcholinesterases (AChEs) and butyrylcholinesterase (BuChEs), which differ in their distribution, function, and substrate specificity. AChEs, also known as true cholinesterases, specifically hydrolyze acetylcholine, while BuChEs, often referred to as pseudocholinesterases, can hydrolyze various choline esters, including...
Indirect-Acting Cholinergic Agonists: Mechanism of Action01:18

Indirect-Acting Cholinergic Agonists: Mechanism of Action

Indirect-acting cholinergic agonists work by interacting with an enzyme called acetylcholinesterase (AChE) in the synaptic cleft. They can be reversible or irreversible inhibitors and have different effects on the enzyme.
Reversible inhibitors like edrophonium bind to a specific part of the enzyme called the anionic catalytic site. They form noncovalent bonds, which means they are not strongly attached to the enzyme. This creates a temporary and less stable enzyme–inhibitor complex, leading to...
Indirect-Acting Cholinergic Agonists: Chemistry and Structure-Activity Relationship01:29

Indirect-Acting Cholinergic Agonists: Chemistry and Structure-Activity Relationship

Indirect-acting cholinergic agonists are agents that interact with the acetylcholinesterase enzyme in the synaptic cleft, preventing the breakdown of acetylcholine into choline and acetate. Consequently, the concentration of acetylcholine in the synaptic cleft increases. These agonists can be classified into reversible and irreversible inhibitors based on their duration of action.
Reversible inhibitors display short to medium durations of action. Short-acting agents include simple alcohols with...
Direct-Acting Cholinergic Agonists: Chemistry and Structure-Activity Relationship01:22

Direct-Acting Cholinergic Agonists: Chemistry and Structure-Activity Relationship

Cholinergic agonists or cholinomimetics mimic the action of acetylcholine to stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system. They are categorized into direct-acting and indirect-acting agents. The direct-acting cholinergic drugs induce the parasympathetic response by directly binding to the muscarinic or nicotine receptors. In comparison, the indirect-acting cholinergic drugs prevent acetylcholine hydrolysis, indirectly contributing to the extended parasympathetic response.
The direct-acting...
Cholinergic Neurons: Neurotransmission01:23

Cholinergic Neurons: Neurotransmission

Cholinergic neurotransmission involves the synthesis and the release of acetylcholine (ACh) in order to transmit nerve impulses across the synapse. The process begins with the synthesis of acetyl CoA, a precursor for ACh, from ATP, acetate, and coenzyme A in the mitochondria. Choline, another vital precursor, is transported inside the neuron through choline transporters, including high-affinity choline transporter CHT1, low-affinity choline transporter CTL1, and lower-affinity choline...
Cholinergic Antagonists: Chemistry and Structure-Activity Relationship01:29

Cholinergic Antagonists: Chemistry and Structure-Activity Relationship

Cholinergic antagonists bind to cholinergic receptors and limit the effects of acetylcholine and other cholinergic agonists. Based on the specific cholinergic receptor affinity, these antagonists are classified as muscarinic or nicotinic. Anticholinergics interrupt parasympathetic innervations while sympathetic innervations remain uninterrupted. Muscarinic antagonists are also called 'muscarinic antagonists', 'antimuscarinics', or 'parasympatholytics'. Nicotinic antagonists are called...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

How to prepare Alzheimer's amyloid-β(1-42) oligomer samples with sufficient quantity and quality for biophysical and solid-state NMR measurements.

Methods in enzymology·2026
Same author

Bridging the gap: A systematic approach to integrating serum and plasma proteomic datasets for biomarker studies.

Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis·2026
Same author

High-fructose corn syrup for managing negative energy balance in sheep.

Translational animal science·2026
Same author

PD-1 Blockade-Induced DKK1 Expression by CD8+ T Cells Promotes Blood-Brain Barrier Permeabilization.

Cancer discovery·2026
Same author

Sirt6 prevents the age-related decline of H<sub>2</sub>S through the control of one-carbon metabolism.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2025
Same author

Non-carbohydrate anaplerotic therapy counters empagliflozin-induced diabetic ketosis.

Nutrition & diabetes·2025
Same journal

Sulforaphane protects cardiomyoblasts against chemical hypoxia by increasing mitochondrial-ER communication and autophagy.

Chemico-biological interactions·2026
Same journal

Atrazine Induces Alzheimer's Disease-Like Neurotoxicity by Targeting SDHB and Disrupting Synaptic Function: An Integrated Bioinformatic and In Vivo Study.

Chemico-biological interactions·2026
Same journal

l-Theanine attenuates isoprenaline-induced heart failure in rats through modulation of the JNK/c-Jun/Beclin 1/Bcl2 pathway.

Chemico-biological interactions·2026
Same journal

The novel PARP-1 inhibitor BMMP-TSC bridges mitochondrial dysfunction and innate immunity via mtDNA leakage and cGAS-STING to suppress breast cancer.

Chemico-biological interactions·2026
Same journal

3-monochloro-1,2-propanediol disrupts ovarian germline stem cell maintenance via Golgi stress-induced autophagy in Drosophila.

Chemico-biological interactions·2026
Same journal

Integrated pathways of T-2 toxin-induced neurotoxicity and protection by sodium butyrate in quails.

Chemico-biological interactions·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 16, 2026

Investigating Protein Sequence-structure-dynamics Relationships with Bio3D-web
09:51

Investigating Protein Sequence-structure-dynamics Relationships with Bio3D-web

Published on: July 16, 2017

Acetylcholinesterase: from 3D structure to function.

Hay Dvir1, Israel Silman, Michal Harel

  • 1Department of Structural Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel.

Chemico-Biological Interactions
|February 9, 2010
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Acetylcholinesterase rapidly breaks down acetylcholine to end nerve signaling. Its structure reveals a deep active site gorge, crucial for understanding enzyme function and developing treatments for neurological disorders.

More Related Videos

Modeling an Enzyme Active Site using Molecular Visualization Freeware
14:37

Modeling an Enzyme Active Site using Molecular Visualization Freeware

Published on: December 25, 2021

Preparation and In Vivo Use of an Activity-based Probe for N-acylethanolamine Acid Amidase
11:01

Preparation and In Vivo Use of an Activity-based Probe for N-acylethanolamine Acid Amidase

Published on: November 23, 2016

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 16, 2026

Investigating Protein Sequence-structure-dynamics Relationships with Bio3D-web
09:51

Investigating Protein Sequence-structure-dynamics Relationships with Bio3D-web

Published on: July 16, 2017

Modeling an Enzyme Active Site using Molecular Visualization Freeware
14:37

Modeling an Enzyme Active Site using Molecular Visualization Freeware

Published on: December 25, 2021

Preparation and In Vivo Use of an Activity-based Probe for N-acylethanolamine Acid Amidase
11:01

Preparation and In Vivo Use of an Activity-based Probe for N-acylethanolamine Acid Amidase

Published on: November 23, 2016

Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Neuroscience
  • Structural Biology

Background:

  • Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) terminates neurotransmission by hydrolyzing acetylcholine.
  • AChE is a highly efficient enzyme, crucial in cholinergic synapses.
  • Inhibition of AChE by organophosphates causes toxicity and is targeted in Alzheimer's disease treatments.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the crystal structure of Torpedo californica acetylcholinesterase.
  • To visualize the acetylcholine binding pocket and active site at atomic resolution.
  • To compare the structure of human acetylcholinesterase with the Torpedo enzyme.

Main Methods:

  • X-ray crystallography was used to determine the enzyme's structure.
  • Analysis of the crystal structure revealed the active site's location and characteristics.
  • Comparison of Torpedo and human acetylcholinesterase structures was performed.

Main Results:

  • The crystal structure of Torpedo californica acetylcholinesterase showed the acetylcholine binding pocket.
  • The active site was identified at the bottom of a deep gorge lined with aromatic residues.
  • The human acetylcholinesterase structure revealed a novel peptide blocking active site access in its apo-state.

Conclusions:

  • Structural insights into acetylcholinesterase provide a basis for understanding its function and inhibition.
  • The deep active site gorge is a key feature for enzyme activity and drug design.
  • The unique peptide in human acetylcholinesterase may regulate access to the active site.