IUBMB Enzyme Nomenclature

EC 3.1.1.8

Accepted name: cholinesterase

Reaction: An acylcholine + H2O = choline + a carboxylate

Other name(s): pseudocholinesterase; butyrylcholine esterase; non-specific cholinesterase; choline esterase II (unspecific); benzoylcholinesterase; choline esterase; butyrylcholinesterase; propionylcholinesterase; BtChoEase

Systematic name: acylcholine acylhydrolase

Comments: Acts on a variety of choline esters and a few other compounds.

Links to other databases: BRENDA, EXPASY, KEGG, Metacyc, PDB, CAS registry number: 9001-08-5

References:

1. Augustinsson, K.-B. Cholinesterases. A study in comparative enzymology. Acta Physiol. Scand. 15, Suppl. 52 (1948).

2. Augustinsson, K.-B. and Olsson, B. Esterases in the milk and blood of swine. I. Substrate specificity and electrophoresis studies. Biochem. J. 71 (1959) 477-484.

3. Koelle, G.B. Cholinesterases of the tissues and sera of rabbits. Biochem. J. 53 (1953) 217-226.

4. Nachmansohn, D. and Wilson, I.B. The enzymic hydrolysis and synthesis of acetylcholine. Adv. Enzymol. Relat. Subj. Biochem. 12 (1951) 259-339.

5. Sawyer, C.H. Hydrolysis of choline esters by liver. Science 101 (1945) 385-386.

6. Strelitz, F. Studies on cholinesterase. 4. Purification of pseudo-cholinesterase from horse serum. Biochem. J. 38 (1944) 86-88.

[EC 3.1.1.8 created 1961]


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