A kinetic characterization of choline esterases in Limulus polyphemus

Abstract

1. Kinetic analyses confirmed the existence of different esterase activities in extracts from the ventral nerve cord and cardiac muscle of Limulus. 2. On the basis of sensitivity to selective inhibitors and substrate specificity both esterases behave as “true” acetylcholinesterase. 3. In contrast to lobster axonal acetylcholinesterase, the esterase activities in extracts from Limulus ventral nerve cord, as well as from cardiac muscle, exhibited a low sensitivity to inhibition by procaine.