Streptomyces tyrosinase: production and practical applications

Abstract

Tyrosinases (monophenol, o-diphenol:oxygen oxidoreductase, EC (1.14.18.1) are copper-containg enzymes which catalyze the o-hydroxylation of monophenols and subsequent oxidation of o-diphenols to quinones. The enzymes are involved in the pigmentation and are important factors in wound healing and primary immune response. Tyrosinases are found in prokaryotic and eukaryotic microorganisms, in mammals, invertebrates and plants. Streptomyces is included in the Streptomycetaceae family and represents one of the most important genus of the Actinomycetales order due to its impressive number of species and their practical role. Members of this genus were deeply studied because of their capacity to produce antibiotics and enzymes of industrial importance as glucose isomerase, protease, amylase, xylanase, while their capacity to produce tyrosinase was studied in a lesser extent.