AMINO ACID COMPOSITION AND SEQUENCE OF DERMORPHIN,A NOVEL OPIATE-LIKE PEPTIDE FROM THE SKIN OF PHYLLOMEDUSA SAUVAGEI

Dermorphin, a heptapeptide with very potent opiate-like activity, has been isolated from methanol extracts of the skin of the South American frog Phyllomedusa sauvagei. The amino acid sequence of the peptide is: H-Tyr-D-Ala-Phe-Gly-Tyr-Pro-Ser-NH₂. Dermorphin presents striking differences from the known enkephalins; it offers a surprising example of a peptide from Vertebrata containing a D-amino acid residue in its sequence.