The enzyme choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) catalyzes the synthesis of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine and could be a target molecule for pharmaceuticals. A Swedish research team has now determined the mechanism by which arylvinylpyridinium (AVP), a known class of ChAT inhibitors, functions. As they report in the journal Angewandte Chemie, ChAT manufactures the actual agent itself by attaching coenzyme A (CoA) to AVP.