The role of hydration in an enzyme reaction.

The aim of the work was to elucidate the role of water in the reaction between acetylcholinesterase (acetylcholine hydrolase, EC 3.1.1.7) and methanesulfonyl fluoride, accelerated by accelerators. The reaction between the enzyme and methanesulfonyl fluoride in the presence of individual monovalent cations of the Hofmeister series was investigated. The results obtained were analyzed in comparison with the effect of methanesulfonylation of the specific accelerators tetramethylammonium and tetraethylammonium under various experimental conditions. The monovalent cations of the Hofmeister series accelerate the reaction. Their effect--as well as that of specific accelerators--significantly correlates with the effect of these agents on the structure of water. These findings, together with others, led to the following model of the role of hydration water in acylation of acetylcholinesterase. The accelerator, which may also be the cationic head of the natural substrate, binds to the anionic site of the enzyme and reduces the hydration of the nucleophilic serine -OH in the esteratic site, thus enhancing the nucleophilicity of -OH. This results in an improvement of the binding between the acylating agent and the esteratic site of acetylcholinesterase.