Human polypeptide C5a contains 74 amino acids and has 11kDa. NMR spectroscopy proved that the molecule is composed of four helices and connected by peptide loops with three disulphide bonds between helix IV and II, III.  There is a short 1.5 turn helix on N-terminus but all agonist activity take place in the C-terminus. C5a is rapidly metabolised by a serum enzyme carboxypeptidase B to a 72 amino acid form C5a des-Arg without C terminal arginine.