Primary and tertiary structure of human renin.

A complete amino acid sequence of human renin was deduced from its complementary DNA (cDNA) sequence. Close similarities were observed in the primary structure of human renin and other aspartyl proteinases. A three-dimensional model of human renin has been constructed assuming that the overall folding of the aspartyl proteinases is very similar. The model is consistent with many biochemical and catalytic properties of human renin previously reported, thereby confirming its usefulness and the strong correspondence between the model and the actual structure of renin. The model should provide the structural basis for the development of a potentially-useful antihypertensive drug.