Tyrosinase is an oxidase that is the rate-limitingenzyme for controlling the production of melanin. The enzyme is mainly involved in two distinct reactions of melanin synthesis otherwise known as the Raper–Mason pathway. Firstly, the hydroxylation of a monophenol and secondly, the conversion of an o-diphenol to the corresponding o-quinone. o-Quinone undergoes several reactions to eventually form melanin.[5] Tyrosinase is a copper-containing enzyme present in plant and animal tissues that catalyzes the production of melanin and other pigments from tyrosine by oxidation. It is found inside melanosomes which are synthesized in the skin melanocytes. In humans, the tyrosinase enzyme is encoded by the TYRgene.[6]
^"Human PubMed Reference:". National Center for Biotechnology Information, U.S. National Library of Medicine.
^"Mouse PubMed Reference:". National Center for Biotechnology Information, U.S. National Library of Medicine.
^Kumar CM, Sathisha UV, Dharmesh S, Rao AG, Singh SA (Mar 2011). "Interaction of sesamol (3,4-methylenedioxyphenol) with tyrosinase and its effect on melanin synthesis". Biochimie. 93 (3): 562–9. doi:10.1016/j.biochi.2010.11.014. PMID21144881.
^Barton DE, Kwon BS, Francke U (Jul 1988). "Human tyrosinase gene, mapped to chromosome 11 (q14----q21), defines second region of homology with mouse chromosome 7". Genomics. 3 (1): 17–24. doi:10.1016/0888-7543(88)90153-X. PMID3146546.
