A hydrophobic dimer of acetylcholinesterase from Torpedo californica electric organ is solubilized by phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C.

A dimeric form of acetylcholinesterase from the electric organ of Torpedo californica was solubilized by phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C from Staphylococcus aureus. The solubilized enzyme had a sedimentation coefficient of 7.3S which was not modified by detergents. The high salt-soluble asymmetric forms of acetylcholinesterase were not solubilized by the phospholipase. Our data suggest that the hydrophobic dimer of acetylcholinesterase may be associated with the plasma membrane through a specific interaction involving phosphatidylinositol.