The Anopheles gambiae cE5, a tight- and fast-binding thrombin inhibitor with post-transcriptionally regulated salivary-restricted expression

► The Anopheles gambiae cE5 protein was expressed, purified and characterized. ► cE5 is a highly specific tight- and fast-binding thrombin inhibitor. ► Multiple cE5 transcript isoforms are found in several tissues of both males and females. ► Post-transcriptional gene regulation restricts cE5 protein to mosquito female salivary glands.