Mammalian tyrosinase: biosynthesis, processing, and modulation by melanocyte-stimulating hormone.

We have examined the rate of synthesis and degradation of tyrosinase (monophenol, 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine:oxygen oxidoreductase, EC 1.14.18.1), the critical enzyme involved in mammalian pigmentation, using pulse-chase metabolic labeling of murine melanoma cells and immunoprecipitation of prote…