A Study on the Electrochemical Synthesis of L-DOPA Using Oxidoreductase Enzymes: Optimization of an Electrochemical Process

• Published in: Journal of microbiology and biotechnology Vol. 22; no. 10; pp. 1446 - 1451
• Main Authors: Rahman, Siti Fauziyah, Gobikrishnan, Sriramulu, Indrawan, Natarianto, Park, Seok-Hwan, Park, Jae-Hee, Min, Kyoungseon, Yoo, Young Je, Park, Don-Hee
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Korean
• Published: 한국미생물생명공학회 30-10-2012
• Subjects: electrochemical synthesis; L-DOPA; Parkinson`s disease; tyrosinase; Parkinson's disease; tyrosinase; electrochemical synthesis; L-DOPA
• ISSN: 1017-7825; 1738-8872

Levodopa or L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (L-DOPA) is the precursor of the neurotransmitter dopamine. L-DOPA is a famous treatment for Parkinson`s disease symptoms. In this study, electroenzymatic synthesis of L-DOPA was performed in a three-electrode cell, comprising a Ag/AgCl reference electrode, a platinum wire auxiliary electrode, and a glassy carbon working electrode. L-DOPA had an oxidation peak at 376 mV and a reduction peak at -550 mV. The optimum conditions of pH, temperature, and amount of free tyrosinase enzyme were pH 7, 30℃, and 250 IU, respectively. The kinetic constant of the free tyrosinase enzyme was found for both cresolase and catacholase activity to be 0.25 and 0.4 mM, respectively. A cyclic voltammogram was used to investigate the electron transfer rate constant. The mean heterogeneous electron transfer rate (ke) was 5.8 × 10-4 cm/s. The results suggest that the electroenzymatic method could be an alternative way to produce L-DOPA without the use of a reducing agent such as ascorbic acid.