High-throughput integrated analyses for the tyrosinase-induced melanogenesis: microarray, proteomics and interactomics studies.

The tyrosinase gene was overexpressed in HEK293 cells, and then a DNA microarray and proteomic tools were applied to detect the dysregulated genes in highly pigmented cells. The candidate genes from the microarray were compared to the yeast two-hybridization results. Computational prediction via protein-protein interaction mapping suggested the existence of 66 hub genes in melanogenesis. Most importantly, RNA binding motif protein 9 is newly detected as a putative critical melanogenesis-associated gene in this study. The approach of combining the expression data analysis and predicted protein interaction partners performed in large scales can bring more reliable gene targets for understanding pigmentation.