• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.353-360
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• 2003

For the simple rapid bioassay of organophosphorus and carbamate pesticide residues, a mass-production system of acetycholinesterase (AChE, EC 3.1.1.7, MAChE) using baculovirus and insect cell culture was constructed. The cDNA for AChE was synthesized from Drosophila melanogaster in Halla Mountain, the lipid anchor tail was removed by PCR and was used for the site-directed mutagenesis of three amino acid residues (E107Y, F368L, L408F). The mutated cDNA was inserted into the baculovirus vector and expressed in insect cells. Maximum cell growth and enzyme activity were reached when the cells $(2{\times}10^6\;cell/ml)$ were infected four times at four-day-intervals. His-tag containing MAChE was purified using Ni-NTA column and used for characterization. The activity was maintained under various pHs (3-10) and temperatures $(20-50^{\circ}C)$ under experimental conditions. As an extraction solution for pesticides, methanol is more effective than ethanol. Against major organophosphate and carbamate pesticides, the MAChE showed better sensitivity than AChE and AChE from housefly (Taiwan).