Sequence:

H-Cys-Ser-Cys-Ser-Ser-Leu-Met-Asp-Lys-Glu-Cys-Val-Tyr-Phe-Cys-His-Leu-Asp-Ile-Ile-Trp-OH

(Disulfide bonds between Cys¹ and Cys¹⁵/Cys³ and Cys¹¹)

Family Description:


Endothelin-1, a 21-amino acid peptide from vascular endothelial cells of different mammalian species, is one of the most potent vasoconstrictors. ET-1 exerts a wide variety of effects on both vascular and non-vascular (e.g. heart, lung, brain) tissues. Toxic peptides from a snake venom, the sarafotoxins, show structural and functional homology to ET-1. The role of ET-1 in clinical hypertension has been reviewed by Dhaun et al. and by Sreenivas and Oparil.