Choline acetyltransferase.

Acetylcholine is essential to neural function. It synthesis is catalyzed by choline acetyltransferase, the enzyme responsible for the acetylation of choline by acetyl coenzye A, a reaction favored slightly thermodymodynamically and not at all kinetically. An analytically pure enzyme still has not been obtained; however, method of purification have been greatly improved recently. Numerous inhibitors of the enzyme have been synthesized and their structure-action relationships examained. Evidence has been accumulated showing the essential involvement of an imidazole group in the active site of choline acetyltransferase. The literature regarding the controversial role to thiol groups in choline acetyltransferase is reviewed. Recently, derivatives of coenzyme A have been introduced as inhibitors of this enzyme and the specificity of coenzyme A binding has been examined. Possible mechanisms responsible for the control fo acetylcholine synthesis are discussed.