Basic biogenic amines

Biogenic amines are organic nitrogenous substances with high biological activity, which are formed by decarboxylation of amino acids with the simultaneous release of CO2, the cofactor is pyridoxal phosphate

Ethanolamine
It is formed by decarboxylation of serine. It is triple methylated to form choline. Choline is a precursor to acetylcholine. The enzyme choline acetyltransferase catalyzes the formation of acetylcholine from acetyl-CoA and choline. Ethanolamine and choline are part of phospholipids - phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine.

Dopamine
It is formed from tyrosine. The enzyme tyrosinhydroxylase hydroxylates tyrosin to 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA). Subsequently, DOPA-decarboxylase (PLP cofactor) cleaves CO2 to form dopamine. noradrenalin can be formed from dopamine by hydroxylatio and then adrenaline by methilation.

γ-aminobutyric acid = GABA
It is formed from glutamate by glutamate decarboxylase.

Histamine
It is formed from histidine by histidine decarboxylase.



β-alanine
It is formed by decarboxylation of aspartate, but they are also formed during the breakdown of pyrimidine bases. It is part of coenzyme A.

Cysteamine
It is formed by decarboxylation of cystein. It is part of coenzyme A.

Tryptamine
It is formed by decarboxylation of an aromatic amino acid tryptophan. It is a regulatory molecule whose function is still little known.

Serotonin
Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine) is also a biogenic amine. It arises from tryptophan after hydroxylation (by tryptophan-5-monoxygenase with the participation of tetrahydrobiopterine) and the after decarboxylation.

Melatonin
Melatonin (N-acetyl-5-methoxytryptamine) is synthesized from serotonin by N-acetylation followed by O-methylation.

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