(S)‐norlaudanosoline synthase: The first enzyme in the benzylisoquinoline biosynthetic pathway

introduction Isoquinoline alkaloids form the largest group of alkaloids in the plant kingdom. Numerous publications deal with aspects of the biosynthesis of these compounds in vivo [ 11, while isoquinoline biosynthesis at the cell-free level had hardly been touched [Z]. The initial reaction in isoquinoline biosynthesis has long [3] been assumed to be a condensation of two aromatic units, both derived from tyrosine, namely dopamine and 3,4-d~ydroxyphenylacet~dehyde [4]. This scheme was later modified [5] where it was reported that condensation of dopamine with 3,4-dihydroxyphenylpyruvate would lead to an amino acid, norlaudanosoline-l-carboxylic acid, which in turn, by decarboxylation, would yield norlaudanosoline,