Background:
Dopachrome tautomerase (dopachrome delta-isomerase, tyrosine-related protein 2), also known as DCT, is a human gene. The human TYRP2 protein has 83% identity and 90% similarity to the mouse sequence and has all the structural characteristics of the tyrosinase protein family, including a signal peptide, 15 conserved cysteine residues, 2 copper-binding domains, and a C-terminal membrane-spanning region. Northern blot analysis showed that TYRP2 is expressed at high levels in human melanoma cells. Its expression is regulated by the microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF).