Purification of Recombinant Human Tyrosinase from Insect Larvae Infected with the Baculovirus Vector

The purification of an enzyme from insect larvae infected with a baculovirus vector is described. The enzyme tyrosinase is of biomedical importance and catalyzes the first rate-limiting steps in melanin production. Tyrosinase mutations can result in oculocutaneous albinism type 1 (OCA1), an inherited eye disease associated with decreased melanin pigment production and vision defects. To simplify expression and subsequent purification, the extracellular domain is expressed in insect cells, produced in Trichoplusia ni larvae, and purified using affinity and size-exclusion chromatography. The purified recombinant human tyrosinase is a soluble monomeric glycoprotein with an activity that mirrors the tyrosinase in vivo function. © 2017 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.