Dopachrome tautomerase

DCT
Identifiers
Aliases	DCT, TRP-2, TYRP2, dopachrome tautomerase, OCA8
External IDs	OMIM: 191275; MGI: 102563; GeneCards: DCT
Available structures
PDB	Ortholog search: PDBe RCSB
List of PDB id codes
	4HX1
Enzyme activity
Gene location (Human)
Chr.	Chromosome 13 (human)
End	94,479,682 bp
Gene location (Mouse)
Chr.	Chromosome 14 (mouse)
End	118,289,656 bp
RNA expression pattern
	Top expressed in
	skin of thigh; ; skin of arm; ; secondary oocyte; ; nipple; ; skin of hip; ; vulva; ; human penis; ; retinal pigment epithelium; ; testicle; ; skin of abdomen;
	Top expressed in
	iris; ; ciliary body; ; stria vascularis; ; hair follicle; ; retinal pigment epithelium; ; utricle; ; epithelium of lens; ; corneal stroma; ; skin of back; ; left lobe of liver;
	More reference expression data
	; ; ; ;
	More reference expression data
Gene ontology
Molecular function	isomerase activity; metal ion binding; oxidoreductase activity; copper ion binding; dopachrome isomerase activity;
Cellular component	cytoplasm; integral component of membrane; cytosol; membrane; melanosome; melanosome membrane;
Biological process	positive regulation of neuroblast proliferation; melanin biosynthetic process; cell development; ventricular zone neuroblast division; melanin biosynthetic process from tyrosine; epidermis development; developmental pigmentation; pigmentation; metabolism;
	Sources:Amigo / QuickGO
Orthologs
Databases	NCBI: entry; OMA: entry
	1638
	13190
	ENSG00000080166
	ENSMUSG00000022129
	P40126
	P29812
NM_001129889; NM_001922; NM_001322182; NM_001322183; NM_001322184;
	NM_001322185; NM_001322186
	NM_010024
NP_001123361; NP_001309111; NP_001309112; NP_001309113; NP_001309114;
	NP_001309115; NP_001913
	NP_034154
	Wikidata
View/Edit Human	View/Edit Mouse

Dopachrome tautomerase is an enzyme that in humans is encoded by the gene DCT.^[5] Its expression is regulated by the microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF).^[6]^[7] Dopachrome tautomerase is induced by blue light, and is involved in the production of melanin.^[5]^[8] Pathogenic mutations in the DCT gene have been associated with oculocutaneous albinism, where low levels of pigment are produced by the skin, hair, and eyes.^[5] The type linked to DCT has relatively mild symptoms and is called Oculocutaneous Albinism, Type VIII.^[9]

Alternative names include dopachrome delta-isomerase and tyrosinase-related protein 2.

References

1 2 3 GRCh38: Ensembl release 89: ENSG00000080166 – Ensembl, May 2017
1 2 3 GRCm38: Ensembl release 89: ENSMUSG00000022129 – Ensembl, May 2017
↑ "Human PubMed Reference:". National Center for Biotechnology Information, U.S. National Library of Medicine.
↑ "Mouse PubMed Reference:". National Center for Biotechnology Information, U.S. National Library of Medicine.
1 2 3 "Entrez Gene: DCT dopachrome tautomerase (dopachrome delta-isomerase, tyrosinase-related protein 2)".
↑ Yasumoto K, Takeda K, Saito H, et al. (2002). "Microphthalmia-associated transcription factor interacts with LEF-1, a mediator of Wnt signaling". EMBO J. 21 (11): 2703–14. doi:10.1093/emboj/21.11.2703. PMC 126018. PMID 12032083.
↑ Hoek KS, Schlegel NC, Eichhoff OM, et al. (2008). "Novel MITF targets identified using a two-step DNA microarray strategy". Pigment Cell Melanoma Res. 21 (6): 665–76. doi:10.1111/j.1755-148X.2008.00505.x. PMID 19067971.
↑ "DCT gene Dopachrome Tautomerase". genecards.org. LifeMap sciences. Retrieved 2026-08-30.
↑ "Oculocutaneous Albinism, Type Viii (OCA8)". malacards.org. LifeMap sciences. Retrieved 2026-08-30.

Jackson IJ, Chambers DM, Tsukamoto K, et al. (1992). "A second tyrosinase-related protein, TRP-2, maps to and is mutated at the mouse slaty locus". EMBO J. 11 (2): 527–35. doi:10.1002/j.1460-2075.1992.tb05083.x. PMC 556483. PMID 1537334.
Tobin D, Quinn AG, Ito S, Thody AJ (1995). "The presence of tyrosinase and related proteins in human epidermis and their relationship to melanin type". Pigment Cell Res. 7 (4): 204–9. doi:10.1111/j.1600-0749.1994.tb00050.x. PMID 7855064.
Bernd A, Ramirez-Bosca A, Kippenberger S, et al. (1995). "Levels of dopachrome tautomerase in human melanocytes cultured in vitro". Melanoma Res. 4 (5): 287–91. doi:10.1097/00008390-199410000-00003. PMID 7858411. S2CID 41170650.
Yokoyama K, Yasumoto K, Suzuki H, Shibahara S (1994). "Cloning of the human DOPAchrome tautomerase/tyrosinase-related protein 2 gene and identification of two regulatory regions required for its pigment cell-specific expression". J. Biol. Chem. 269 (43): 27080–7. doi:10.1016/S0021-9258(18)47128-1. PMID 7929451.
Orlow SJ, Zhou BK, Chakraborty AK, et al. (1994). "High-molecular-weight forms of tyrosinase and the tyrosinase-related proteins: evidence for a melanogenic complex". J. Invest. Dermatol. 103 (2): 196–201. doi:10.1111/1523-1747.ep12392743. PMID 8040609.
Sturm RA, Baker E, Sutherland GR (1994). "Assignment of the tyrosinase-related protein-2 gene (TYRP2) to human chromosome 13q31-q32 by fluorescence in situ hybridization: extended synteny with mouse chromosome 14". Genomics. 21 (1): 293–6. doi:10.1006/geno.1994.1266. PMID 8088811.
Abdel-Malek Z, Swope V, Collins C, et al. (1994). "Contribution of melanogenic proteins to the heterogeneous pigmentation of human melanocytes". J. Cell Sci. 106 (4): 1323–31. doi:10.1242/jcs.106.4.1323. PMID 8126111.
Yokoyama K, Suzuki H, Yasumoto K, et al. (1994). "Molecular cloning and functional analysis of a cDNA coding for human DOPAchrome tautomerase/tyrosinase-related protein-2". Biochim. Biophys. Acta. 1217 (3): 317–21. doi:10.1016/0167-4781(94)90292-5. PMID 8148378.
Cassady JL, Sturm RA (1994). "Sequence of the human dopachrome tautomerase-encoding TRP-2 cDNA". Gene. 143 (2): 295–8. doi:10.1016/0378-1119(94)90114-7. PMID 8206391.
Odh G, Hindemith A, Rosengren AM, et al. (1994). "Isolation of a new tautomerase monitored by the conversion of D-dopachrome to 5,6-dihydroxyindole". Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 197 (2): 619–24. doi:10.1006/bbrc.1993.2524. PMID 8267597.
Bouchard B, Del Marmol V, Jackson IJ, et al. (1994). "Molecular characterization of a human tyrosinase-related-protein-2 cDNA. Patterns of expression in melanocytic cells". Eur. J. Biochem. 219 (1–2): 127–34. doi:10.1111/j.1432-1033.1994.tb19922.x. PMID 8306979.
Sturm RA, O'Sullivan BJ, Box NF, et al. (1996). "Chromosomal structure of the human TYRP1 and TYRP2 loci and comparison of the tyrosinase-related protein gene family". Genomics. 29 (1): 24–34. doi:10.1006/geno.1995.1211. PMID 8530077.
Björk P, Aman P, Hindemith A, et al. (1996). "A new enzyme activity in human blood cells and isolation of the responsible protein (D-dopachrome tautomerase) from erythrocytes". Eur. J. Haematol. 57 (3): 254–6. doi:10.1111/j.1600-0609.1996.tb01372.x. PMID 8898931. S2CID 31744251.
Smith-Thomas L, Richardson P, Thody AJ, et al. (1997). "Human ocular melanocytes and retinal pigment epithelial cells differ in their melanogenic properties in vivo and in vitro". Curr. Eye Res. 15 (11): 1079–91. doi:10.3109/02713689608995139. PMID 8950502.
Wang RF, Appella E, Kawakami Y, et al. (1997). "Identification of TRP-2 as a Human Tumor Antigen Recognized by Cytotoxic T Lymphocytes". J. Exp. Med. 184 (6): 2207–16. doi:10.1084/jem.184.6.2207. PMC 2211562. PMID 8976176.
Chi DD, Merchant RE, Rand R, et al. (1997). "Molecular detection of tumor-associated antigens shared by human cutaneous melanomas and gliomas". Am. J. Pathol. 150 (6): 2143–52. PMC 1858329. PMID 9176405.
Sugimoto H, Taniguchi M, Nakagawa A, et al. (1997). "Crystallization and preliminary X-ray analysis of human D-dopachrome tautomerase". J. Struct. Biol. 120 (1): 105–8. doi:10.1006/jsbi.1997.3904. PMID 9356298.
Nishihira J, Fujinaga M, Kuriyama T, et al. (1998). "Molecular cloning of human D-dopachrome tautomerase cDNA: N-terminal proline is essential for enzyme activation". Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 243 (2): 538–44. doi:10.1006/bbrc.1998.8123. PMID 9480844.
Kippenberger S, Loitsch S, Solano F, et al. (1998). "Quantification of tyrosinase, TRP-1, and Trp-2 transcripts in human melanocytes by reverse transcriptase-competitive multiplex PCR--regulation by steroid hormones". J. Invest. Dermatol. 110 (4): 364–7. doi:10.1046/j.1523-1747.1998.00144.x. PMID 9540976.
Lupetti R, Pisarra P, Verrecchia A, et al. (1998). "Translation of a Retained Intron in Tyrosinase-related Protein (TRP) 2 mRNA Generates a New Cytotoxic T Lymphocyte (CTL)-defined and Shared Human Melanoma Antigen Not Expressed in Normal Cells of the Melanocytic Lineage". J. Exp. Med. 188 (6): 1005–16. doi:10.1084/jem.188.6.1005. PMC 2212536. PMID 9743519.

This article on a gene on human chromosome 13 is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by adding missing information.

[refGRCh38Ensembl-1] 1 2 3 GRCh38: Ensembl release 89: ENSG00000080166 – Ensembl, May 2017

[refGRCm38Ensembl-2] 1 2 3 GRCm38: Ensembl release 89: ENSMUSG00000022129 – Ensembl, May 2017

[3] "Human PubMed Reference:". National Center for Biotechnology Information, U.S. National Library of Medicine.

[4] "Mouse PubMed Reference:". National Center for Biotechnology Information, U.S. National Library of Medicine.

[entrez-5] 1 2 3 "Entrez Gene: DCT dopachrome tautomerase (dopachrome delta-isomerase, tyrosinase-related protein 2)".

[pmid12032083-6] Yasumoto K, Takeda K, Saito H, et al. (2002). "Microphthalmia-associated transcription factor interacts with LEF-1, a mediator of Wnt signaling". EMBO J. 21 (11): 2703–14. doi:10.1093/emboj/21.11.2703. PMC 126018. PMID 12032083.

[pmidunknown-7] Hoek KS, Schlegel NC, Eichhoff OM, et al. (2008). "Novel MITF targets identified using a two-step DNA microarray strategy". Pigment Cell Melanoma Res. 21 (6): 665–76. doi:10.1111/j.1755-148X.2008.00505.x. PMID 19067971.

[genecard-8] "DCT gene Dopachrome Tautomerase". genecards.org. LifeMap sciences. Retrieved 2026-08-30.

[9] "Oculocutaneous Albinism, Type Viii (OCA8)". malacards.org. LifeMap sciences. Retrieved 2026-08-30.

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Dopachrome tautomerase

See also

References

Further reading