Enzymatic oxidation by frog epidermis tyrosinase of 4-methylcatechol and p-cresol. Influence of L-serine

A study has been made of the kinetics of cresolase and catecholase activities of tyrosinase on the p-cresol/4-methyl-catechol pair in the presence of L-serine. For this, a spectrophotometer assay for both activities based on the spectrophotometric and stoichiometric characteristics of the chemical reactions in the evolution of 4-methyl-o-benzoquinone is proposed. The presence of L-serine in the reaction medium caused a modification in the lag period and the steady-state rate expressed during the cresolase activity of tyrosinase, but no modification was observed during the expression of catecholase activity. These results can be explained taking into account the complex mechanism proposed for tyrosinase which included the chemical steps involved in the process. Furthermore, a singular form of regulation of enzymatic activity by L-serine has been clarified, not by any direct interaction between the protein molecule and the nucleophile, but by modification of the chemical reactions involved in the mechanism of tyrosinase.