ACE2 contains a potential 17-amino acid N-terminal signal peptide and a putative 22-amino acid C-terminal membrane anchor. It is the only known mammalian homologue of the zinc-metallopeptidase angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), a critical regulator of the reninangiotensin system. The organ- and cell-specific expression of this gene suggests that it may play a role in the regulation of cardiovascular and renal function, as well as fertility.
