Date of Award
Spring 2018
Thesis Type
Rollins Access Only
Degree Name
Honors Bachelor of Arts
Department
Chemistry
Sponsor
Dr. James Patrone
Committee Member
Dr. Jay Pieczynski
Committee Member
Dr. Kasandra Riley
Abstract
Melanin is a pigment that plays a crucial role in several biochemical processes, including protection, in nearly every class of organisms. The melanin biosynthesis pathway is regulated by the rate-limiting enzyme, tyrosinase and is responsible for skin pigmentation, enzymatic browning in foods, and crucial defense mechanisms in other organisms. Tyrosinase, although structurally different based on complexity of organism, has an active site that is highly conserved. It has a di-copper active site where each copper is coordinated by three histidine residues and bridged by a water molecule. This active site catalyzes both the reaction of L-tyrosine to L-dopa and L-dopa to dopaquinone. There is a strong incentive to finding inhibitors of tyrosinase because it has industrial applications in both the skin-whitening industry and agricultural preservatives. This study used fragment-based drug discovery to identify novel inhibitors of tyrosinase. The study optimized a direct assay that spectrophotometrically observed dopachrome formation at 470 nm. Six molecules were identified with IC50 values comparable or better to the known inhibitor kojic acid. Kinetic studies clarified the mechanism of action of the identified inhibitors. Future directions include a more rigorous kinetic analysis of proposed molecules and inhibitor treatment in melanoma cells to observe reduction of melanin production in vivo.
Recommended Citation
Ames, Amanda, "Identification of Novel Tyrosinase Inhibitors" (2018). Honors Program Theses. 61.
https://scholarship.rollins.edu/honors/61