3,4-Dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) is a

metabolite In biochemistry, a metabolite is an intermediate or end product of metabolism. The term is usually used for small molecules. Metabolites have various functions, including fuel, structure, signaling, stimulatory and inhibitory effects on enzymes, c ...

of the

neurotransmitter A neurotransmitter is a signaling molecule secreted by a neuron to affect another cell across a Chemical synapse, synapse. The cell receiving the signal, or target cell, may be another neuron, but could also be a gland or muscle cell. Neurotra ...

dopamine Dopamine (DA, a contraction of 3,4-dihydroxyphenethylamine) is a neuromodulatory molecule that plays several important roles in cells. It is an organic chemical of the catecholamine and phenethylamine families. It is an amine synthesized ...

. Dopamine can be metabolized into one of three substances. One such substance is DOPAC. Another is

3-methoxytyramine 3-Methoxytyramine (3-MT), also known as 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenethylamine, is a human trace amine and the major metabolite of the monoamine neurotransmitter dopamine. It is formed by the introduction of a methyl group to dopamine by the enzyme c ...

(3-MT). Both of these substances are degraded to form

homovanillic acid Homovanillic acid (HVA) is a major catecholamine metabolite that is produced by a consecutive action of monoamine oxidase and catechol-O-methyltransferase on dopamine. Homovanillic acid is used as a reagent to detect oxidative enzymes, and is ass ...

(HVA). Both degradations involve the enzymes

monoamine oxidase Monoamine oxidases (MAO) () are a family of enzymes that catalyze the oxidation of monoamines, employing oxygen to clip off their amine group. They are found bound to the outer membrane of mitochondria in most cell types of the body. The fi ...

(MAO) and

catechol-O-methyl transferase Catechol-''O''-methyltransferase (COMT; ) is one of several enzymes that degrade catecholamines (neurotransmitters such as dopamine, epinephrine, and norepinephrine), catecholestrogens, and various drugs and substances having a catechol struc ...

(COMT), albeit in reverse order: MAO catalyzes dopamine to DOPAC, and COMT catalyzes DOPAC to HVA; whereas COMT catalyzes dopamine to 3-MT and MAO catalyzes 3-MT to HVA. The third metabolic end-product of dopamine is

norepinephrine Norepinephrine (NE), also called noradrenaline (NA) or noradrenalin, is an organic compound, organic chemical in the catecholamine family that functions in the brain and human body, body as a hormone, neurotransmitter and neuromodulator. The ...

(noradrenaline). It can also be found in the bark of ''

Eucalyptus globulus ''Eucalyptus globulus'', commonly known as southern blue gum or blue gum, is a species of flowering plant in the family Myrtaceae. It is a tall, evergreen tree Endemism, endemic to southeastern Australia. This ''Eucalyptus'' species has most ...

''. This product has been synthesized (52% yield) from 4-hydroxyphenylacetic acid via

aerobic Aerobic means "requiring air," in which "air" usually means oxygen. Aerobic may also refer to * Aerobic exercise, prolonged exercise of moderate intensity * Aerobics, a form of aerobic exercise * Aerobic respiration, the aerobic process of cellu ...

biotransformation Biotransformation is the biochemical modification of one chemical compound or a mixture of chemical compounds. Biotransformations can be conducted with whole cells, their lysates, or purified enzymes. Increasingly, biotransformations are effected ...

using whole cell cultures of ''

Arthrobacter protophormiae ''Glutamicibacter protophormiae'' is a bacterium belonging to the genus ''Glutamicibacter''. It contains a glycolipid 3- 'O''-α-D-mannopyranosyl-(1→3)-''O''-α-D-mannopyranosyl''sn''-1,2-diglyceride (DMDG). It has peptidoglycan type A4α w ...

''.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dihydroxyphenylacetic acid, 3,4- Phenolic human metabolites Phenylacetic acids Catechols Hydroxy acids