[Approach to studying natural oligopeptides in the area of structure relationship to function]

Structure and structure-function relations of naturally occurring oligopeptides and peptide receptors are discussed. An approach to inferring function of low-molecular peptides in the direction from their structure is postulated. Diverse biological activities of oligopeptides supposedly arise from a limited number of preferable spatial structures which may exist under physiological conditions. Each particular function of an oligopeptide is connected with a definite spatial structure, belonging to the set of the low-energy conformations. A method is suggested for constructing a synthetic analogue with a predetermined physiologically active conformation, prior to all chemical and biological tests.