dopa

(dō'pə)
n.
An amino acid, C₉H₁₁NO₄, formed in the liver from tyrosine and converted to dopamine in the brain.

[d(ihydr)o(xy)p(henyl)a(lanine).]

View more Health videos

or DOPA

abbr. for 3-hydroxytyrosine; 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine; 2-amino-3-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)propanoic acid; the naturally occurring enantiomer is 3-hydroxy-l-tyrosine (abbr.: l-dopa, also known as levodopa because it is levorotatory; [α]²₅⁰₄₆ ≈ 13.0). l-Dopa is formed from l-tyrosine by tyrosine 3-monooxygenase, EC 1.14.16.2, and is an immediate metabolic precursor of the neurotransmitter dopamine and other catecholamines. l-Dopa is used in the treatment of Parkinson's disease.

Previous:	donor cell, donor atom, donor
Next:	dopac, dopachrome Δ-isomerase, dopamine

L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine. Key intermediate in two pathways; the production of melanins from tyrosine catalyzed by the copper-containing enzyme, tyrosinase, to produce dopa, or the biosynthesis of catecholamines catalyzed by the action of tyrosine. It is used in manganese poisoning. Called also L-dopa and levodopa.

n

An amino acid derived from tyrosine that occurs naturally in plants and animals. It is a precursor of dopamine, epinephrine, and norepinephrine.

This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)