title: Hydrolysis of biological peptides by human angiotensin-converting enzyme-related carboxypeptidase.
abstract: Human angiotensin-converting enzyme-related carboxypeptidase (ACE2) is a zinc metalloprotease whose closest homolog is angiotensin I-converting enzyme. To begin to elucidate the physiological role of ACE2, ACE2 was purified, and its catalytic activity was characterized. ACE2 proteolytic activity has a pH optimum of 6.5 and is enhanced by monovalent anions, which is consistent with the activity of ACE. ACE2 activity is increased approximately 10-fold by Cl(-) and F(-) but is unaffected by Br(-). ACE2 was screened for hydrolytic activity against a panel of 126 biological peptides, using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry detection. Eleven of the peptides were hydrolyzed by ACE2, and in each case, the proteolytic activity resulted in removal of the C-terminal residue only. ACE2 hydrolyzes three of the peptides with high catalytic efficiency: angiotensin II () (k(cat)/K(m) = 1.9 x 10(6) m(-1) s(-1)), apelin-13 (k(cat)/K(m) = 2.1 x 10(6) m(-1) s(-1)), and dynorphin A 1-13 (k(cat)/K(m) = 3.1 x 10(6) m(-1) s(-1)). The ACE2 catalytic efficiency is 400-fold higher with angiotensin II () as a substrate than with angiotensin I (). ACE2 also efficiently hydrolyzes des-Arg(9)-bradykinin (k(cat)/K(m) = 1.3 x 10(5) m(-1) s(-1)), but it does not hydrolyze bradykinin. An alignment of the ACE2 peptide substrates reveals a consensus sequence of: Pro-X((1-3 residues))-Pro-Hydrophobic, where hydrolysis occurs between proline and the hydrophobic amino acid.
authors.affiliation: Department of Metabolic Disease, Millennium Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA.
authors.forename: Chad
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vickers
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hales
authors.forename: Virendar
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kaushik
authors.forename: Larry
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dick
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gavin
authors.forename: Jin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Kevin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Godbout
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Parsons
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Baronas
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Hsieh
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Acton
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Patane
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nichols
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tummino
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000085962:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2; D002268:Carboxypeptidases / Q000378:metabolism*; D002384:Catalysis; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D002852:Chromatography, Ion Exchange; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D006868:Hydrolysis; D007700:Kinetics; D010455:Peptides / Q000378:metabolism*; D007703:Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D019032:Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization; D013056:Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet
chemical_list: D010455:Peptides; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D002268:Carboxypeptidases; D007703:Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A; C000705307:ACE2 protein, human; D000085962:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2