ACE2 Rat

Angiotensin converting enzyme 2 or ACE-2 is an enzyme that is located in the cell membranes in different organs such as kidney, intestines, lungs, heart & arteries. ACE2 acts as an entry receptor of SARS coronaviruses & SARS-CoV-2.The coronavirus spike (S) glycoprotein is a class I viral fusion antigen bound to the external envelope of the virion that has a role in a crucial part in viral infection by identifying host cell receptors and starting fusion of the viral and cellular membranes. Couple of main domains in coronavirus S1 have been identified, the N-terminal domain and C-terminal domain. One or the other and/or both S1 domains acts as a receptor-binding domain. SARS-CoV + MERS-CoV equally use C-domain to attach their receptors.ACE2 is a type I transmembrane antigen with an extracellular N-terminal domain having the catalytic site and an intracellular C-terminal tail. ACE2 has a signal peptide, a transmembrane domain & a single metalloproteinase active site holds an HEXXH zinc-binding domain. ACE-2 takes part as a mono-carboxypeptidase which degrades Ang I to produce the nonapeptide Ang 1–9 and Ang II to create the heptapeptide Ang 1–7.