Subcellular localization of isozyme variants of acetylcholinesterase during the life cycle of Drosophila melanogaster.

Particulate and soluble acetylcholinesterase (AChE) (EC 3.1.1.7) activities were measured and the pattern of isozyme variants was established by acetylthiocholine and alpha-naphthyl acetate staining during the life cycle of Drosophila melanogaster. The compartmentalization and the pattern of AChE forms changed very little with the development of the fly. The AChE isozyme variants are greatly reduced or abolished in embryos homozygous for Ace126, a representative mutant of the AChE region. One of the isozyme variants was suppressed by 20-OH-ecdysone treatment in first-instar larvae without affecting the viability. The comparison of the map of AChE variants and the known transcript of the AChE gene in embryos are discussed.