A mosquito (Anopheles stephensi) angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE) is induced by a blood meal and accumulates in the developing ovary

Angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE) has a key role in regulating levels of several circulating peptides in mammals and has a vital role in male fertility. ACE has recently been found in insects, where its role is unclear. A mutant allele of the ACE gene (Ance) of Drosophila malanogaster is embryonic lethal, indicating an important role for the enzyme in development. We now report the presence of ACE in female Anopheles stephensi mosquitoes and that the enzyme is induced by a blood-meal. ACE accumulates in developing ovaries and passes into the mosquito eggs, where it may play a role in the metabolism of peptides during embryogenesis. The ovarian ACE has an M-r of 70 kDa and is inhibited by captopril and lisinopril with IC50 values of 0.1 mu M and 0.6 mu M, respectively. (C) 1999 Federation of European Biochemical Societies.