The Recent Crystal Structure of Human Tyrosinase Related Protein 1 (HsTYRP1) Solves an Old Problem and Poses a New One.

Show your metal: l-Tyrosine is converted into the protective antioxidative polymer melanin in a sequence of reactions. In humans, the catalytic pathway starts with the tyrosinase HsTYR and two tyrosinase-related proteins HsTYRP1 and HsTYRP2. All three enzymes have the same active site but the latter two contain two zinc ions instead of copper ions.