Branching Reaction in Melanogenesis: The Effect of Intramolecular Cyclization on Thiol Binding

With the aid of density functional theory-based first principles calculations, we investigated energetics and electronic structure changes in reactions involving dopaquinone to give insights into the branching behaviors in melanogenesis. The reactions we investigated are the intramolecular cyclization and thiol binding, which are competing with each other. It was found that, in order to accomplish thiol binding, charge transfer of around one electron from thiol to dopaquinone occurs. Furthermore, intramolecular cyclization of dopaquinone increases the lowest unnoccupied molecular orbital level substantially. This result clearly shows prevention of the binding of thiol by intramolecular cyclization.