Variants of human paraoxonase 1 (PON1) are being developed as catalytic bioscavengers for the organophosphorus chemical warfare agents (OP). It is preferable that the new PON1 variants have broad spectrum hydrolase activities to hydrolyze both G- and V-class OPs. H115W PON1 has shown improvements over wild type PON1 in its capacity to hydrolyze some OP compounds. We improved upon these activiti...

As part of ongoing efforts to design improved nerve agent antidotes, two X-ray crystal structures of Torpedo californica acetylcholinesterase (TcAChE) bound to the bis-pyridinium oxime, Ortho-7, or its experimental bis-imidazolium analogue, 2BIM-7, were determined. Bis-oximes contain two oxime groups connected by a hydrophobic linker. One oxime group of Ortho-7 binds at the entrance to the acti...

Organophosphorus compounds are a wide-spread group of agents which can be used among others as pesticides, especially insecticides, or chemical warfare agents. These extremely toxic compounds irreversibly inhibit the enzymes of hydrolases class, which have the catalytic capability of hydrolyzing their specific neurotransmitters in synaptic clefts of the nervous system. The organophosphorus pest...