Reaction: (R)-salsolinol + H2O = dopamine + acetaldehyde
For diagram of reaction click here
Glossary: (R)-salsolinol = (+)-salsolinol = (1R)-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-1-methylisoquinoline-6,7-diol
Other name(s): Sal synthase
Systematic name: (R)-salsolinol dopamine-hydrolase (acetaldehyde-forming)
Comments: The enzyme, present in mammalian brains, forms the catechol isoquinoline (R)-salsolinol. This compound can be metabolized to (R)-N-methylsalsolinol, a 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium-like neurotoxin that impairs the function of dopaminergic neurons, causing the clinical symptoms of Parkinson's disease.
Links to other databases: BRENDA, EXPASY, KEGG, MetaCyc, CAS registry number:
References:
1. Naoi, M., Maruyama, W., Dostert, P., Kohda, K. and Kaiya, T. A novel enzyme enantio-selectively synthesizes (R)-salsolinol, a precursor of a dopaminergic neurotoxin, N-methyl-(R)-salsolinol. Neurosci. Lett. 212 (1996) 183-186. [PMID: 8843103]
2. Naoi, M., Maruyama, W., Takahashi, T., Akao, Y. and Nakagawa, Y. Involvement of endogenous N-methyl-(R)-salsolinol in Parkinson's disease: induction of apoptosis and protection by (–)deprenyl. J Neural Transm Suppl (2000) 111-121. [PMID: 11128601]
3. Chen, X., Zheng, X., Ali, S., Guo, M., Zhong, R., Chen, Z., Zhang, Y., Qing, H. and Deng, Y. Isolation and sequencing of salsolinol synthase, an enzyme catalyzing salsolinol biosynthesis. ACS Chem Neurosci 9 (2018) 1388-1398. [PMID: 29602279]
4. Xiong, Q., Zheng, X., Wang, J., Chen, Z., Deng, Y., Zhong, R., Wang, J. and Chen, X. Sal synthase induced cytotoxicity of PC12 cells through production of the dopamine metabolites salsolinol and N-methyl-salsolinol. J Integr Neurosci 21 (2022) 71. [PMID: 35364659]