Biological properties of amino-terminal PTHrP analogues modified in the region 11-13 were examined using ROS 17/2.8 cells. [Leu11,D-Trp12,Arg13,Tyr36]PTHrP(1-36)amide had a 17-fold lower binding affinity for the receptor (apparent Kd: 5 x 10(-8) M) than [Tyr36]PTHrP(1-36)amide or [Arg11,13,Tyr36]PTHrP(1-36)amide (apparent Kd for both: 2 x 10(-9) M). Moreover, it is only a weak partial agonist despite completely inhibiting radioligand binding. [Leu11,D-Trp12,Arg13,Tyr36,Cys38]PTHrP(7-3 8) and PTHrP(7-34)amide had similar receptor affinities (apparent Kds: 5 x 10(-8) M and 8 x 10(-8) M), while that of [Nle8,18,Tyr34]bPTH(7-34)amide was more than 10-fold lower (apparent Kd: 2 x 10(-6) M). These changes in biological properties suggest that high affinity receptor binding requires both amino- and carboxyl-terminal domains of the PTHrP(1-36) sequence and/or intramolecular interactions which are impaired by the D-Trp substitution for Gly12.