Abstract
MEASUREMENTS of tyrosinase (EC 1.10.3.1) in animals with oculocutaneous albinism have led to contradictory conclusions. Using the incorporation of 14C-DL- or L-tyrosine into melanin, one investigator found no, or questionable, activity in albino mouse skin1,2 while another3 reported very low, but significant activity in particles from albino mouse eyes treated with Triton X-100. When the production of 3HOH from 3,5-3H-L-tyrosine was used as an assay, albino hamsters4 were found to have no detectable activity, while albino rats5 were reported to have minimal, but real activity. We report clear evidence for a tyrosine hydroxylase with tyrosinase characteristics in the skin of two strains of albino hamster and one strain of albino mouse. The method used permits quantitative comparison with tyrosinase in pigmented skin. A distinct dopa oxidase is present in extracts of albino mouse.
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