An endothelin-converting enzyme homologue in the locust, Locusta migratoria: functional activity, molecular cloning and tissue distribution.

Journal article

Endothelin-converting enzyme is the key enzyme in the process of endothelin production. Endothelin is a peptide that plays an important role in vasoconstriction and the development of neural crest-derived cells in vertebrates. Activity assays performed on membrane extracts from Locusta migratoria brain revealed the existence of a protease activity responsible for the formation of mature endothelin-1 from its precursor, big endothelin. Cloning experiments led to a cDNA sequence (Lom ECE) with an open reading frame of 727 amino acid residues displaying all the characteristic ECE features. A comparison of ECE activity levels among different tissues of the locust showed a high enzyme activity in the gonads and midgut. RT-PCR experiments showed a wide tissue distribution of Lom ECE mRNA, with transcription being most abundant in brain tissue.

Authors: Macours, N; Poels, J; Hens, K; Luciani, N; De Loof, A

• Journal: Insect molecular biology
• Volume: 12
• Issue: 3
• Pages: 233-240
• Publication date: 2003-06-01
• DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-2583.2003.00406.x
• EISSN: 1365-2583
• ISSN: 0962-1075
• Language: English
• Keywords: Molecular Sequence Data; Membrane Proteins; Genes, Insect; Grasshoppers; Sequence Alignment; Endothelins; Sequence Analysis, DNA; Insect Proteins; Cloning, Molecular; RNA, Messenger; Amino Acid Sequence; Aspartic Endopeptidases; Base Sequence; Animals; Metalloendopeptidases; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction