Studies on acetylcholinesterase and cholinesterase covalently bound to polymaleinic anhydride

Abstract Acetylcholinesterase (acetylcholine hydrolase, EC 3.1.1.7) and cholinesterase (acylcholine acylhydrolase, EC 3.1.1.8), respectively, were covalently attached to a cross-linked copolymerisate of maleinic anhydride and butanediol-divinylether. Based on the coupling procedure reported by Brummer et al. (Brummer, W., Hennrich, N., Klockow, M., Lang, H. and Orth, H.D. (1972) Eur. J. Biochem. 25, 129–135), a simple method is described which requires only 24 h for completion and provides a sufficient yield. Although a polyanionic carrier was used the K m and k 2 values as well as the substrate and pH optima of the bound acetylcholinesterase and bound cholinesterase did not differ considerably from the corresponding values of the free enzymes. Bound acetylcholinesterase and to some extent also bound cholinesterase did not lose any enzymatic activity after storage in saline at 4°C for 140 days.