Human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (hACE2), SARS-CoV-2 virus receptor
The extracellular part of human recombinant angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (aa 17-740), a SARS-CoV-2 virus receptor, was expressed as a secreted dimeric protein in mammalian (hamster) CHO cells, fused to human IgG Fc tag (rhACE2-IgFc). Such rhACE2-IgFc protein construct maintains extracellular part of hACE2 in a dimeric state and provides increased stability to the protein with potential to neutralize SARS-CoV-2. Native hACE2 is a homodimer, therefore rhACE2-IgFc construct preserves this state to be explored in functional and immuno-assays. It was purified from culture medium under native (non-denaturing) conditions using convenient chromatographic techniques. Two differently formulated products are available: