Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) is a fast acting serine hydrolase that belongs to the carboxylesterase enzyme family. It hydrolyses acetylcholine into choline and acetic acid and is found in the synaptic cleft. This enzyme can be located in many organisms including roundworm, insects, and mammals. Alzheimers and myastenia gravis diseases are characterized by reduced acetylcholin; thus, drugs that inhibit AChE were developed to reduce disease symptoms. AChE can be inhibited by many natural substances such as alakloids and quinones and synthetic chemicals such as organophosphorous compounds that are frequently used as pesicides. Recently it was demonstrated that natural conpounds have different inhibitory activity in electric eel AChE compared to the human enzyme.
The SensoLyte 520 Acetylcholinesterase Assay Kit is a homogeneous assay that can be used to detect the activity of enzyme and for screening of AChE inhibitors. Active AChE generates fluorescence that can be monitored at excitation/emission=490/520 nm. The long wavelength fluorescence of the substrate is less interfered by the autofluorescence of components in biological samples and test compounds.
-78°C