Xenin is a 25-amino acid polypeptide. The amino acid sequence of xenin is identical to the N-terminal end of cytoplasmic coatomer subunit alpha, from which xenin can be cleaved by aspartic proteases. Xenin is structurally related to the amphibian peptide xenopsin and to the neuropeptide neurotensin.
Surpassed by insulin, xenin reflects the second highest degree of homology traced along the evolutionary tree among the regulatory peptides, indicating its prominent structural conservatism.