Multiple molecular forms of esterases from grass aphids inhibitory identification and stereospecificity

: Nine esterase fractions hydrolyzing 1-naphthylacetate were revealed in Triton X-100-solubilized extracts from aphides homogenates by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The less mobile fractions 1-4 were identified as cholinesterases, using specific inhibitors--eserine and the cationic phosphoorganic inhibitor Gd-42; fractions 5-7 were related to carboxylesterases, using specific inhibition by triorthocresylphosphate and O,O-dimethyl (2,2-dichlorvinyl)phosphate. The most mobile fractions 8-9 which were resistant to the inhibitors, were classified as arylesterases. The aphis cholinesterase fractions revealed the highest mobility; the activity of carboxylesterase fractions was lower. Thiophosphonate--C8H17O(CH3)P(O)-SCH2SCH2COOCH3 was found to be a highly efficient selective inhibitor of aphis carboxylesterase, i. e. the kII values for carboxylesterase and cholinesterase were equal to 10(8) and 10(5) M-1 min-1, respectively. The thiophosphoorganic derivatives containing a beta-alanine residue in the cleaved part are more specific to acetylcholinesterase and carboxylesterase than those containing a valine residue. Studies with enanthiomers--C2H5O(CH3)P(O)SCH2CONHCH2CH2COOC2H5 and (C2H5O)2P(O)SCH2CONHCH(iC3H7)COOC2H5 have demonstrated that the asymmetry due to the central phosphorus atom is more essential for the acetylcholinesterase and carboxylesterase activities than that connected with the carbon atom in the cleaved part of the inhibitor molecule. During the interaction of the enanthiomers with the asymmetric phosphorus the stereospecificity of acetylcholinesterase is much higher than that of carboxylesterase. In terms of stereospecificity of the esterase site aphis acetylcholinesterase is is similar to its mammalian counterpart, while carboxylesterase from the same source is rather close to mammalian butyrylcholinesterase.