Description
Discovering Dermorphin: A Potent Natural Opioid
Dermorphin, a hepta-peptide initially sourced from the skin of South American frogs belonging to the genus Phyllomedusa, serves as a potent natural opioid. Acting as an agonist with remarkable potency and selectivity, it binds to mu Opioid receptors. Compared to morphine, dermorphin exhibits approximately 30–40 times greater potency, with the potential for reduced drug tolerance and addiction development. Its amino acid sequence, H-Tyr-D-Ala-Phe-Gly-Tyr-Pro-Ser-NH2, underscores its unique composition.
Interestingly, dermorphin is absent in humans and other mammals, with similar D-amino acid peptides exclusively identified in bacteria, amphibians, and mollusks. The peptide’s synthesis involves an unconventional post-translational modification facilitated by an amino acid isomerase, a process essential due to the absence of D-alanine among the 20 amino acids encoded in the genetic makeup. Consequently, dermorphin’s synthesis deviates from the conventional pathways dictated by an organism’s genome.
- Dermorphin
- Natural opioid
- Mu Opioid receptors
- Post-translational modification
- Amino acid isomerase