title: Overview on the biotechnological production of L-DOPA.
abstract: L-DOPA (3,4-dihydroxyphenyl-L-alanine) has been widely used as a drug for Parkinson's disease caused by deficiency of the neurotransmitter dopamine. Since Monsanto developed the commercial process for L-DOPA synthesis for the first time, most of currently supplied L-DOPA has been produced by the asymmetric method, especially asymmetric hydrogenation. However, the asymmetric synthesis shows critical limitations such as a poor conversion rate and a low enantioselectivity. Accordingly, alternative biotechnological approaches have been researched for overcoming the shortcomings: microbial fermentation using microorganisms with tyrosinase, tyrosine phenol-lyase, or p-hydroxyphenylacetate 3-hydroxylase activity and enzymatic conversion by immobilized tyrosinase. Actually, Ajinomoto Co. Ltd commercialized Erwinia herbicola fermentation to produce L-DOPA from catechol. In addition, the electroenzymatic conversion system was recently introduced as a newly emerging scheme. In this review, we aim to not only overview the biotechnological L-DOPA production methods, but also to briefly compare and analyze their advantages and drawbacks. Furthermore, we suggest the future potential of biotechnological L-DOPA production as an industrial process.
authors.affiliation: Clean Energy Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul, 136-791, South Korea.
authors.forename: Kyoungseon
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Min
authors.forename: Kyungmoon
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Don-Hee
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Young Je
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Yoo
mesh_terms: D001709:Biotechnology / Q000379:methods*; D004800:Enzymes, Immobilized / Q000378:metabolism; D004885:Erwinia / Q000201:enzymology*; D005285:Fermentation; D007980:Levodopa / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D006899:Mixed Function Oxygenases / Q000378:metabolism; D014442:Monophenol Monooxygenase / Q000378:metabolism; D014447:Tyrosine Phenol-Lyase / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D004800:Enzymes, Immobilized; D007980:Levodopa; D006899:Mixed Function Oxygenases; D014442:Monophenol Monooxygenase; D014447:Tyrosine Phenol-Lyase