Purification and characterization of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) from sheep lung

Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE, EC 3.4.15.1) in the renin-angiotensin system regulates blood pressure by catalyzing angiotensin I to the vasoconstrictor angiotensin II. In this study, the ACE was purified and characterized from sheep lung. The kinetic properties of the ACE were designated. The inhibition effect of captopril, a specific ACE inhibitor, was determined. ACE was purified from sheep lung using the affinity chromatography method in one step. NHS-activated Sepharose 4 Fast Flow as column filler and lisinopril as a ligand in this method used. The molecular weight and purity of ACE were designated using the SDS-PAGE method. Optimum temperature and optimum pH were found for purified ACE. K_M and V_max values from Lineweaver-Burk charts determined. The inhibition type, IC₅₀, and K_i values of captopril on purified ACE were identified. ACE was 6405-fold purified from sheep lung by affinity chromatography in one step and specific activity was 16871 EU/mg protein. The purity and molecular weight of ACE were found with SDS-PAGE and observed two bands at around 60 kDa and 70 kDa on the gel. Optimum temperature and optimum pH were designated for purified ACE. Optimum temperature and pH were found as 40 °C and pH 7.4, respectively. V_max and K_M values were calculated to be 35.59 (µmol/min).mL^-1 and 0.18 mM, respectively. IC₅₀ value of captopril was found as 0.51 nM. The inhibition type of captopril was determined as non-competitive from the Lineweaver-Burk graph and the K_i value was 0.39 nM. As a result, it was observed in this study that the ACE enzyme can be successfully purified from sheep lungs in one step. Also, it was determined that captopril, which is a specific ACE inhibitor, has a significant inhibitory effect with a very low IC₅₀ value of 0.51 nM.