Biochemical characterization and identification of extracellular tyrosinase biosynthesis in Streptomyces antibioticus

Tyrosinases are copper-containing enzymes which are ubiquitously distributed in all domains of life and are found in prokaryotic as well as in eukaryotic micro-organisms, and in mammals, invertebrates and plants. A tyrosinase-expressing Streptomyces antibioticus was isolated and it is identified based on biochemical tests like urase, phenol red fermentation, nitrate reduction, starch hydrolysis and gelatine given positive results and indole, methyl red vogues proskauer, citrate utilization, carbohydrate utilization, phenyl alanine deamination, casein hydrolysis, colloidal chitin hydrolysis and catalase test negative results indicated that presence of Streptomyces antibioticus and tyrosinase. The results obtained after comparative studies indicated that isolation media and methods used in the present study are not only simple and reliable for large-scale bacterial identification but at the same time are more costeffective compared to commercially available diagnostic kits. This newly isolated and characterized tyrosinase may have potential applications in organic synthesis due to its high activity and stability at typically denaturing conditions.