Further Evidence on the Heterogeneity of ‘Silent’ Serum Cholinesterase Variants

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Abstract
The plasma cholinesterase activities of two individuals homozygous for the apparent Chs1 gene have been investigated by a thiocholine assay procedure using acetylthiocholine and butyrylthiocholine iodide as substrates in the presence and absence of several inhibitors, and by polyacrylamide disc electrophoresis and immunoabsorbtion test. The results have been compared with those obtained with normal plasma and red cell cholinesterase preparations. It is concluded that (1) the properties of ‘silent’ cholinesterase variants are different from those of both normal plasma and red cell cholinesterases; (2) the ‘silent’ variants are mutants of normal plasma cholinesterase, and (3) they are heterogeneous in character. Because of the complex properties of the ‘silent’ samples, the cause of heterogeneity should be treated with caution until better characterization of the purified enzyme is possible.