Biochemical evaluation of photolabile precursors of choline and of carbamylcholine for potential time-resolved crystallographic studies on cholinesterases

The characteristics of two photolabile triggers which may be used as tools in time-resolved crystallographic studies of cholinesterases, are investigated. These compounds are 2-nitrobenzyl derivatives of choline and of carbamylcholine, which generate choline and carbamylcholine, respectively, upon photochemical fragmentation. Findings indicate that these photolabile compounds may be utilized as complementary probes for time-resolved studies of the route of product release from the active sites of the cholinesterases.