Abstract
SINCE Kalow1 in 1956 demonstrated a genetically controlled atypical (dibucaine resistant) variant of human pseudocholinesterase (acylcholine acylhydrolase [Enzyme Commission: 3.1.1.8]) much information has been gained on the polymorphism of this enzyme, an esterase of the serum of which the function is not known. Besides the most common gene (Ch1U) responsible for the synthesis of the usual pseudocholinesterase at least three other genes have been described on the same autosomal locus, namely, the alleles Ch1D, Ch1F and Ch1S, each producing variant enzymes different from the normal pseudocholinesterase. There is no difference in health between various genotypes of the usual gene Ch1U and those of the alleles Ch1D, Ch1F and Ch1S, unless either homozygotes or heterozygotes of each of the latter three genes are subjected to the application of the muscle relaxant suxamethonium (succinyldicholin) when an abnormally prolonged apnoea is observed. Heterozygotes with both a variant gene and the usual gene do not show this sensitivity.
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OMOTO, K., GOEDDE, H. Pseudocholinesterase Variants in Japan. Nature 205, 726 (1965). https://doi.org/10.1038/205726a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/205726a0
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