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 o f several circulating peptides in mammals and has a vital role in male fert ility. ACE has recently been found in insects, where its role is unclear. A mutant allele of the ACE gene (Ance) of Drosophila malanogaster is embryon ic lethal, indicating an important role for the enzyme in development. We n ow report the presence of ACE in female Anopheles stephensi mosquitoes and that the enzyme is induced by a blood-meal. ACE accumulates in developing o varies and passes into the mosquito eggs, where it may play a role in the m etabolism of peptides during embryogenesis. The ovarian ACE has an M-r of 7 0 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 Biochemica l Societies.