Macours Nathalie, Hens Korneel
Laboratory for Developmental Physiology, Genomics and Proteomics, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Naamsestraat 59, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium.
Insect Biochem Mol Biol. 2004 Jun;34(6):501-10. doi: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2004.03.007.
Research on the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) in insects has substantially advanced during the recent decade. The cloning of this enzyme in many insect species, the determination of the 3D-structure and several molecular and physiological studies have contributed to the characterization of insect ACE as we know it today: a functional enzyme with a putative role in reproduction, development and defense. The discovery of the endothelin-converting enzyme in insects occurred more recently and cloning of the corresponding cDNA has been carried out in only one insect species so far. However, activity studies and analysis of insect genomes indicate that this enzyme is also widely distributed among insect species. Making hypotheses about its putative function would be preliminary, but its wide tissue distribution suggests a major and diverse biological role.
近十年来，对昆虫体内血管紧张素转换酶（ACE）的研究取得了重大进展。该酶在许多昆虫物种中的克隆、三维结构的测定以及多项分子和生理学研究，共同促成了如今我们所了解的昆虫ACE的特性：一种在生殖、发育和防御中可能发挥作用的功能性酶。昆虫体内内皮素转换酶的发现相对较晚，迄今为止仅在一种昆虫物种中完成了相应cDNA的克隆。然而，活性研究和昆虫基因组分析表明，这种酶在昆虫物种中也广泛分布。关于其假定功能的假设尚属初步，但它在组织中的广泛分布表明其具有重要且多样的生物学作用。
