The [Lys-Arg]-endothelin-1 analogue (KR-ET-1) yields almost selectively the native disulfide pattern (96%), in contrast to endothelin-1 (ET-1) that gives at least 25% of the non-native disulfide pattern. We have previously shown that the carboxylate-state structure of KR-ET-1 is more constrained and stabilized by a salt bridge between Arg(-1) and the Asp8 or Glu10 side chain [Aumelas et al. (1995) Biochemistry 34, 4546-4561]. To identify this salt bridge and its potential involvement in the disulfide bond formation, [E10Q], [D18N], and [D8N] carboxamide analogues were studied, which led to the unambiguous identification of the Arg(-1)-Asp8 salt bridge. Furthermore, while [E10Q] and [D18N] analogues gave a high yield of the native isomer (>/=90%), the [D8N] analogue afforded a ratio of the two isomers close to that observed for ET-1 (68%) [Kubo et al. (1997) Lett. Pept. Sci. 4, 185-192]. Assuming that the formation of disulfide bonds occurs in a thermodynamically controlled step, we have hypothesized that the Arg(-1)-Asp8 salt bridge and concomitant interactions could be responsible for the increase in yield of the native isomer of KR-ET-1. In the present work, we describe the structural studies of the carboxamide analogues and of the minor non-native KR-ET-1 isomer. On the basis of 1H NMR and CD spectra as a function of pH, [E10Q] and [D18N] analogues display a conformational change similar to that of the parent peptide, whereas the structure of the [D8N] analogue is unchanged. For the non-native isomer, we measured a lower helical content than for the native isomer and observed a marked difference in the orientation of the KRCSC backbone. In addition, no salt bridge was experimentally observed. Altogether, these results allow us to hypothesize that the salt bridge between two highly conserved residues, one belonging to the prosequence [Arg(-1)] and the other to the mature sequence [Asp8], is involved in the formation of the native disulfide isomer of ET-1. The involvement of the prosequence in the formation of the native disulfide isomer strongly suggests that, in the maturation pathway of ET-1, cleavage of the Arg52-Cys53 amide bond occurs after native disulfide bond formation.