A pyridoxal-phosphate protein. The enzyme cleaves a carbon-carbon bond, releasing phenol and an unstable enamine product that tautomerizes to an imine form, which undergoes a hydrolytic deamination to form pyruvate and ammonia. The latter reaction, which can occur spontaneously, can also be catalysed by EC?3.5.99.10, 2-iminobutanoate/2-iminopropanoate deaminase. The enzyme also slowly catalyses similar reactions with?D-tyrosine,?S-methyl-L-cysteine,?L-cysteine,?L-serine and?D-serine.
