Automated description from the Alliance of Genome Resources (Release 7.0.0)
Enables protein homodimerization activity. Acts upstream of or within several processes, including melanin biosynthetic process; pigmentation; and thymus development. Located in melanosome. Is expressed in central nervous system; eye; head mesenchyme; mesenchyme derived from neural crest; and skin. Used to study buphthalmos and oculocutaneous albinism. Human ortholog(s) of this gene implicated in several diseases, including melanoma (multiple); ocular albinism 1; oculocutaneous albinism (multiple); retinoschisis; and vitiligo. Orthologous to human TYR (tyrosinase).