Acetylcholinesterase from Drosophila melanogaster Identification of two subunits encoded by the same gene

Abstract
Purified acetylcholinesterase from Drosophila melanogaster is composed of a 55 kDa and a 16 kDa noncovalently associated subunit. Cleavage of disulfide bonds reveals that two 55 kDa polypeptides are linked together in native dimeric AChE. Western blots with two antibodies directed against the N‐ and C‐termini of the predicted AChE primary sequence show that the 55 and 16 kDa polypeptides originate from proteolysis of the same precursor encoded by the Ace locus.