Biomaterial Database

Chymotrypsin activation of melanosome tyrosinase in hamster melanotic melanoma. 1979

P M Blagoeva, and H I Pandov, and N I Stoichkova

The tyrosinase activity in two sucrose gradient isolated melanosome fractions from a melanotic hamster melanoma was found to increase after alpha-chymotrypsin treatment. The enhancement in tyrosinase activity had its maximum at a concentration of 1 mg/ml alpha-chymotrypsin after 120 min incubation at 37 degrees C. No direct activating effect of alpha-chymotrypsin was found either on the soluble tyrosinase fraction from freshly prepared untreaed whole-tumor homogenate or on purified mushroom tyrosinase. The activating effect of alpha-chymotrypsin upon the melanosome tyrosinase is believed to be due to the endopeptidic hydrolysis of the--CO--NH--bound existing between tyrosinase and tyrosine and phenylalanine residues in the melanin molecule. Although alternative interpretations are not excluded, the observed enhancement in tyrosinase activity after alpha-chymotrypsin treatment of melanosomes might indicate the existence of an "enzyme liberating" mechanism in the melanosomes.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008543	Melanins	Insoluble polymers of TYROSINE derivatives found in and causing darkness in skin (SKIN PIGMENTATION), hair, and feathers providing protection against SUNBURN induced by SUNLIGHT. CAROTENES contribute yellow and red coloration.	Allomelanins,Melanin,Phaeomelanins
D008544	Melanocytes	Mammalian pigment cells that produce MELANINS, pigments found mainly in the EPIDERMIS, but also in the eyes and the hair, by a process called melanogenesis. Coloration can be altered by the number of melanocytes or the amount of pigment produced and stored in the organelles called MELANOSOMES. The large non-mammalian melanin-containing cells are called MELANOPHORES.	Melanocyte
D008545	Melanoma	A malignant neoplasm derived from cells that are capable of forming melanin, which may occur in the skin of any part of the body, in the eye, or, rarely, in the mucous membranes of the genitalia, anus, oral cavity, or other sites. It occurs mostly in adults and may originate de novo or from a pigmented nevus or malignant lentigo. Melanomas frequently metastasize widely, and the regional lymph nodes, liver, lungs, and brain are likely to be involved. The incidence of malignant skin melanomas is rising rapidly in all parts of the world. (Stedman, 25th ed; from Rook et al., Textbook of Dermatology, 4th ed, p2445)	Malignant Melanoma,Malignant Melanomas,Melanoma, Malignant,Melanomas,Melanomas, Malignant
D009374	Neoplasms, Experimental	Experimentally induced new abnormal growth of TISSUES in animals to provide models for studying human neoplasms.	Experimental Neoplasms,Experimental Neoplasm,Neoplasm, Experimental
D002918	Chymotrypsin	A serine endopeptidase secreted by the pancreas as its zymogen, CHYMOTRYPSINOGEN and carried in the pancreatic juice to the duodenum where it is activated by TRYPSIN. It selectively cleaves aromatic amino acids on the carboxyl side.	Alpha-Chymotrypsin Choay,Alphacutanée,Avazyme
D004156	Catechol Oxidase	An enzyme of the oxidoreductase class that catalyzes the reaction between catechol and oxygen to yield benzoquinone and water. It is a complex of copper-containing proteins that acts also on a variety of substituted catechols. EC 1.10.3.1.	Diphenol Oxidases,Diphenol Oxidase,Polyphenol Oxidase,Polyphenoloxidase,Oxidase, Catechol,Oxidase, Diphenol,Oxidase, Polyphenol,Oxidases, Diphenol
D004789	Enzyme Activation	Conversion of an inactive form of an enzyme to one possessing metabolic activity. It includes 1, activation by ions (activators); 2, activation by cofactors (coenzymes); and 3, conversion of an enzyme precursor (proenzyme or zymogen) to an active enzyme.	Activation, Enzyme,Activations, Enzyme,Enzyme Activations
D006224	Cricetinae	A subfamily in the family MURIDAE, comprising the hamsters. Four of the more common genera are Cricetus, CRICETULUS; MESOCRICETUS; and PHODOPUS.	Cricetus,Hamsters,Hamster
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D013997	Time Factors	Elements of limited time intervals, contributing to particular results or situations.	Time Series,Factor, Time,Time Factor