tyrosine

[tahy-ruh-seen, -sin, tir-uh-]

noun

Biochemistry.

1. a crystalline amino acid, HOC 6 H 4 CH 2 CH(NH2 )COOH, abundant in ripe cheese, that acts as a precursor of norepinephrine and dopamine. Tyr; Y

tyrosine

/ -sɪn, ˈtɪrə-, ˈtaɪrəˌsiːn /

noun

1. an aromatic nonessential amino acid; a component of proteins. It is a metabolic precursor of thyroxine, the pigment melanin, and other biologically important compounds

tyrosine

1. A nonessential amino acid. Chemical formula: C ₉ H ₁₁ NO ₃ .

2. See more at amino acid

Word History and Origins

Origin of tyrosine¹

1855–60; < Greek tȳrós cheese + -ine ²

Word History and Origins

Origin of tyrosine¹

C19: from Greek turos cheese + _-ine ²

Example Sentences

The kind that reeks of washed rinds, that crunches with tyrosine crystals, that bears the name of a tiny European village in delicate, old-world type.

From Salon

The researchers used a common amino acid, tyrosine, packaged as a nanomedicine, to change the metabolism of melanoma, a deadly skin cancer, and prevent cancer growth.

From Science Daily

Ghosh said the amino acid known as tyrosine is located at position 320 within the G protein, which happens to be on the side of the G protein that makes contact with G protein-coupled receptors.

From Science Daily

Osimertinib is what scientists call a tyrosine kinase inhibitor, a substance that affects a class of enzymes involved in cell signaling, growth and division.

From Scientific American

This mutation makes the cave fish unable to metabolize the amino acid tyrosine to make the pigment melanin, resulting in their colorless appearance.

From Scientific American