L-Phenylalanine-4-hydroxylase

Qf-receptor blocking agent, 1, 176 Phenylalanine hydroxylase in tyrosine synthesis from phenylalanine, 1, 261 L-Phenylalanine hydroxylase mechanism, 1, 261 Phenyl azide formation... 

Of the three aromatic amino acid hydroxylases, the reaction catalyzed by L-phenylalanine hydroxylase has been subjected to mechanistic scrutiny most often (B-71MI11003, B-74MH1005, B-76MI11006). Of a number of isomeric dihydrobiopterins that are possible, it is the p-quinonoid dihydrobiopterin (20) that is the coenzyme-derived product in the reaction catalyzed by this enzyme (Scheme 7) (B-71MIH003). (20) is reduced back to (19) by an... 

The hydroxylation of aromatic substrates by enzymes such as L-phenylalanine hydroxylase has been extensively studied in the National Institute of Health, Bethesda, USA, and it has been shown that the hydroxylation reaction is frequently accompanied by an intramolecular migration of the group or atom which is being displaced to an adjacent ortho position on the aromatic ring. This effect has been appropriately termed the NIH shift and detailed study of this type of reaction has led to some important conclusions regarding the precise nature of the chemical reactions involved in aromatic hydroxylation. In particular it has led to the suggestion that these enzymic reactions may proceed via arene... 

Several inborn errors of metabolism are concerned with the metabolism of L-phenylalanine and L-tyrosine in mammals. In several cases it has been possible to demonstrate that such biochemical disorders are associated with the absence or partial deficiency of a particular enzymatic activity. Phenylketonuria results from the absence of a normal L-phenylalanine hydroxylase activity and individuals suffering from this disease are unable to convert L-phenylalanine to L-tyrosine. Under these conditions the metabolism of the amino acid to phenylpyruvic acid, phenyl-lactic acid and phenyl acetyl glutamine is greatly exaggerated. Phenylketonuria is a severe disorder and results in a marked mental retardation, particularly in children. It is generally assumed that it is the accumulation of abnormal metabolites which is responsible for the mental symptoms associated with the disease. 

Fig. 16.10 Inter-relationship of biopterin synthesis and the normal metabolism of l-phenylalanine and the L-phenylalanine hydroxylase system in man.

The neurotransmitter must be present in presynaptic nerve terminals and the precursors and enzymes necessary for its synthesis must be present in the neuron. For example, ACh is stored in vesicles specifically in cholinergic nerve terminals. It is synthesized from choline and acetyl-coenzyme A (acetyl-CoA) by the enzyme, choline acetyltransferase. Choline is taken up by a high affinity transporter specific to cholinergic nerve terminals. Choline uptake appears to be the rate-limiting step in ACh synthesis, and is regulated to keep pace with demands for the neurotransmitter. Dopamine [51 -61-6] (2) is synthesized from tyrosine by tyrosine hydroxylase, which converts tyrosine to L-dopa (3,4-dihydroxy-L-phenylalanine) (3), and dopa decarboxylase, which converts L-dopa to dopamine. 

In the case of hyperphenylalaninaemia, which occurs ia phenylketonuria because of a congenital absence of phenylalanine hydroxylase, the observed phenylalanine inhibition of proteia synthesis may result from competition between T.-phenylalanine and L-methionine for methionyl-/RNA. Patients sufferiag from maple symp urine disease, an inborn lack of branched chain oxo acid decarboxylase, are mentally retarded unless the condition is treated early enough. It is possible that the high level of branched-chain amino acids inhibits uptake of L-tryptophan and L-tyrosiae iato the brain. Brain iajury of mice within ten days after thek bkth was reported as a result of hypodermic kijections of monosodium glutamate (MSG) (0.5—4 g/kg). However, the FDA concluded that MSG is a safe kigredient, because mice are bom with underdeveloped brains regardless of MSG kijections (106). 

Because LCEC had its initial impact in neurochemical analysis, it is not, surprising that many of the early enzyme-linked electrochemical methods are of neurologically important enzymes. Many of the enzymes involved in catecholamine metabolism have been determined by electrochemical means. Phenylalanine hydroxylase activity has been determined by el trochemicaUy monitoring the conversion of tetrahydro-biopterin to dihydrobiopterin Another monooxygenase, tyrosine hydroxylase, has been determined by detecting the DOPA produced by the enzymatic reaction Formation of DOPA has also been monitored electrochemically to determine the activity of L-aromatic amino acid decarboxylase Other enzymes involved in catecholamine metabolism which have been determined electrochemically include dopamine-p-hydroxylase phenylethanolamine-N-methyltransferase and catechol-O-methyltransferase . Electrochemical detection of DOPA has also been used to determine the activity of y-glutamyltranspeptidase The cytochrome P-450 enzyme system has been studied by observing the conversion of benzene to phenol and subsequently to hydroquinone and catechol... 

Tyrosine hydroxylase is the rate-limiting enzyme for the biosynthesis of catecholamines. Tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) is found in all cells that synthesize catecholamines and is a mixed-function oxidase that uses molecular oxygen and tyrosine as its substrates and biopterin as its cofactor [1], TH is a homotetramer, each subunit of which has a molecular weight of approximately 60,000. It catalyzes the addition of a hydroxyl group to the meta position of tyrosine, thus forming 3,4-dihydroxy-L-phenylalanine (l-DOPA). 

Guldberg, P., Levy, H. L., Hanley, W. B. et al. Phenylalanine hydroxylase gene mutations in the United States report from the Maternal PKU Collaborative Study. Am. J. Hum. Genet. 59 84-94,1996. 

Phenylalanine (Phe or F) (2-amino-3-phenyl-propanoic acid) is a neutral, aromatic amino acid with the formula HOOCCH(NH2)CH2C6H5. It is classified as nonpolar because of the hydrophobic nature of the benzyl side chain. Tyr and Phe play a significant role not only in protein structure but also as important precursors for thyroid and adrenocortical hormones as well as in the synthesis of neurotransmitters such as dopamine and noradrenaline. The genetic disorder phenylketonuria (PKU) is the inability to metabolize Phe. This is caused by a deficiency of phenylalanine hydroxylase with the result that there is an accumulation of Phe in body fluids. Individuals with this disorder are known as phenylketonurics and must abstain from consumption of Phe. A nonfood source of Phe is the artificial sweetener aspartame (L-aspartyl-L-phenylalanine methyl ester), which is metabolized by the body into several by-products including Phe. The side chain of Phe is immune from side reactions, but during catalytic hydrogenations the aromatic ring can be saturated and converted into a hexahydrophenylalanine residue. ... 

Figure 2.16. Pathways for the synthesis and metabolism of the catecholamines. A=phenylalanine hydroxylase+pteridine cofactor+Oj B tyrosine hydroxylase+ tetrahydropteridme+Fe+ +Oj C=dopa decarboxylase+pyridoxal phosphate D= dopamine beta-oxidase+ascorbate phosphate+Cu+ +Oj E=phenylethanolamine N-methyltransferase+S-adenosylmethionine l=monoamine oxidase and aldehyde dehydrogenase 2=catechol-0-methyltransferase+S-adenosylmethionine.

An intramolecular hydrogen migration observed in the hydroxylation of aromatic rings in certain enzyme-catalyzed reactions as well as some chemical reactions. The rearrangement was first observed at the National Institutes of Health (hence the name NIH ) in studies of the synthesis of L-tyrosine from L-phenylalanine via phenylalanine hydroxylase. Observation of this shift requires appropriate deuteration of the aromatic reactant. 

This iron-dependent enzyme [EC 1.14.16.1], more widely known as phenylalanine hydroxylase and phenylalani-nase, catalyzes the reaction of L-phenylalanine with tetra-hydrobiopterin and dioxygen to produce L-tyrosine, di-hydrobiopterin, and water. 

Chehin, R., M. Thorolfsson, PM. Knapp-skog, A. Martinez, T. Flatmark, J.L. Arrondo, and A. Mnga, Domain structure and stability of human phenylalanine hydroxylase inferred from infrared spectroscopy. FEBS Lett, 1998. 422(2) 225-30. 

Whilst the term biogenic amine strictly encompasses all amines of biological origin, for the purpose of this article it will be employed to refer to the catecholamine (dopamine, noradrenaline) and serotonin group of neurotransmitters. These neurotransmitters are generated from the amino acid precursors tyrosine and tryptophan, respectively, via the action of the tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4)-dependent tyrosine and tryptophan hydroxylases. Hydroxylation of the amino acid substrates leads to formation of 3,4-dihydroxy-l-phenylalanine ( -dopa) and 5-hydroxytryptophan, which are then decarboxylated via the pyridoxalphosphate-dependent aromatic amino acid decarboxylase (AADC) to yield dopamine and serotonin [4]. In noradrenergic neurones, dopamine is further metabolised to noradrenaline through the action of dopamine-jS-hydroxylase [1]. 

Recently it was discovered that cofactor activity with phenylalanine hydroxylase is not limited to tetrahydropterin derivatives. Thus, the substituted pyrimidines 2,4,5-triamino-6-hydroxypyrimidine (21) and 5-(benzylamino)-2,4-diamino-6-hydroxypyrimidine (22) are active in the L-phenylalanine hydroxylating system (78BBR(85)1614, 79JBC(254)5150, 80JBC(255)7774). The amine substituent at C-5 of (21) and (22) is apparently required for... 

S. L. C. Woo, Retroviral-mediated gene transfer of human phenylalanine hydroxylase into NIH 3T3 and hepatoma cells. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 83 409, 1986. 

The general scheme of the biosynthesis of catecholamines was first postulated in 1939 (29) and finally confirmed in 1964 (Fig. 2) (30). Although not shown in Figure 2, in some cases the amino acid phenylalanine [63-91-2] can serve as a precursor it is converted in the liver to (-)-tyrosine [60-18-4] by the enzyme phenylalanine hydroxylase. Four enzymes are involved in E formation in the adrenal medulla and certain neurons in the brain tyrosine hydroxylase, dopa decarboxylase (also referred to as L-aromatic amino acid decarboxylase), dopamine-P-hydroxylase, and phenylethanolamine iV-methyltransferase. Neurons that form DA as their transmitter lack the last two of these enzymes, and sympathetic neurons and other neurons in the central nervous system that form NE as a transmitter do not contain phenylethanolamine N-methyl-transferase. The component enzymes and their properties involved in the formation of catecholamines have been purified to homogeneity and their properties examined. The human genes for tyrosine hydroxylase, dopamine- 3-oxidase and dopa decarboxylase, have been cloned (31,32). It is anticipated that further studies on the molecular structure and expression of these enzymes should yield interesting information about their regulation and function. 

---