Compound class

Linear melanocortin analogs

Full-length melanocortin peptide analogs that retain a linear backbone, distinguished from the cyclic lactam analogs and from the short melanocortin fragments.

Published: 2026-09-13Literature/identifier verification: 2026-09-13

Neutral class definition

Full-length melanocortin peptide analogs that retain a linear backbone, distinguished from the cyclic lactam analogs and from the short melanocortin fragments.

Related compounds

Compound

Melanotan I (Afamelanotide)

Afamelanotide, widely supplied as Melanotan I, is a linear thirteen-residue analog of alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone carrying norleucine and D-phenylalanine substitutions.

Melanotan I · Melanotan-1 · MT-I · MT-1 · NDP-MSH · NDP-alpha-MSH · CUV1647 · MBJ05

Related molecular mechanisms

receptor

A family of five G protein-coupled receptors, MC1R through MC5R. ACTH recognition and signaling at MC2R depend on the accessory protein MRAP. Native hormones, peptide analogs and nonpeptide ligands differ in receptor-subtype recognition and functional direction; binding affinity, agonism and antagonism must be interpreted separately in the experimental system studied.

Relevant glossary terms

Agonist Ligand G-protein-coupled receptor Peptide analog Lipidation Amidation

Verified bibliography

Reference 1
4-Norleucine, 7-D-phenylalanine-alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone: a highly potent alpha-melanotropin with ultralong biological activity.
Sawyer TK, Sanfilippo PJ, Hruby VJ, Engel MH, Heward CB, Burnett JB, Hadley ME
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America · 1980-10 · Journal Article
current
PMID 6777774 PMC350149 DOI 10.1073/pnas.77.10.5754 Melanotan I (Afamelanotide)MC1R

Study models of these references

What kind of experiment each cited paper reports, taken from its abstract unless marked. Not a summary of results.

Reference	Study models
Sawyer TK et al. 1980	Study models reported: in vitro · from the full text

Related compound classes

Cyclic melanocortin analogs Melanocortin fragment peptides Melanocortin receptor ligands