Isolation of soluble tyrosinase from human melanoma cells.

In the human melanoma cell tyrosinase exists in a membraneous and a soluble form. The membraneous enzyme has an N-terminal amino acid sequence identical to that predicted from a human c-DNA clone by Kwon et al.. The soluble form has now been isolated by a technique mainly based on the trypsin resistence of the enzyme and the use of hydrophobic interaction chromatography. The specific dopa oxidase activity of the soluble enzyme was 300 mumol/min x mg protein. On isoelectric focusing the enzyme was found in at least ten bands, pI between 3.8-4.6. The molecular weight was found to be 53,000 D. The N-terminal amino acid sequence was the same as that found in the membrane bound form of the enzyme, i.e. the protein maps at the c-albino locus.