TYROSINASE Meaning and
Definition
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Tyrosinase is an enzyme that plays a significant role in the production of melanin, the pigment responsible for the coloration of the skin, eyes, and hair. It is a copper-containing enzyme, found in various organisms such as animals, plants, and fungi. Tyrosinase catalyzes the conversion of the amino acid tyrosine into melanin by facilitating two major reactions: hydroxylation and oxidation.
In the first step, tyrosinase hydroxylates tyrosine, adding a hydroxyl group (OH-) to its structure, resulting in the formation of another amino acid called DOPA (dihydroxyphenylalanine). Subsequently, tyrosinase oxidizes DOPA, leading to the formation of dopaquinone, a key intermediate in the melanin synthesis pathway. The reactions facilitated by tyrosinase are critical for the regulation of pigmentation, determining the intensity of color in tissues and organs throughout the body.
Beyond its involvement in melanin synthesis, tyrosinase has been extensively studied due to its potential applications in various fields. In medicine, tyrosinase inhibitors can be utilized in the treatment of hyperpigmentation disorders like melasma and vitiligo. In addition, the enzyme plays an important role in the browning reaction of fruit and vegetables when they are exposed to oxygen, contributing to their deterioration and spoilage. Understanding the mechanisms of tyrosinase activity and regulation is therefore of great interest to scientists in fields such as biology, biochemistry, medicine, and food science.
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A ferment acting upon tyrosin.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
Common Misspellings for TYROSINASE
- ryrosinase
- fyrosinase
- gyrosinase
- yyrosinase
- 6yrosinase
- 5yrosinase
- ttrosinase
- tgrosinase
- throsinase
- turosinase
- t7rosinase
- t6rosinase
- tyeosinase
- tydosinase
- tyfosinase
- tytosinase
- ty5osinase
- ty4osinase
- tyrisinase
- tyrksinase
Etymology of TYROSINASE
The word "Tyrosinase" has its origins in Greek and Latin.
The root of the word, "tyrosine", comes from the Greek word τυρός (tyros), meaning "cheese". This is because the amino acid tyrosine was first discovered in a cheese product around 1846.
The suffix "-ase" is derived from the Latin word "āsis", which denotes an enzyme or a substance that has enzymatic properties. This suffix is commonly used in biochemistry to name enzymes.
Therefore, "Tyrosinase" is a compound word combining "tyrosine" with the suffix "-ase", suggesting that it is an enzyme related to tyrosine metabolism. Tyrosinase is an important enzyme involved in the synthesis of melanin, the pigment responsible for hair, skin, and eye color in humans and animals.
Similar spelling words for TYROSINASE
- derisions,
- tyrosines,
- Torsions,
- drossiness,
- trizones,
- in-torsions,
- Terzones,
- triazins,
- darsanas,
- drowsiness,
- tarzans,
- TRSNS,
- triazines,
- draisenes,
- treasonous,
- terseness,
- tersions,
- turacins,
- TRASSANS,
- dracenas,
- dracenaceae,
- treasons,
- tirsense,
- Dressiness,
- draisines.
