Phenylpyruvate decarboxylase

In enzymology, a phenylpyruvate decarboxylase is an enzyme that catalyzes the chemical reaction


 * phenylpyruvate $$\rightleftharpoons$$ phenylacetaldehyde + CO2

Hence, this enzyme has one substrate, phenylpyruvate, and two products, phenylacetaldehyde and CO2.

This enzyme belongs to the family of lyases, specifically the carboxy-lyases, which cleave carbon-carbon bonds. The systematic name of this enzyme class is phenylpyruvate carboxy-lyase (phenylacetaldehyde-forming). This enzyme is also called phenylpyruvate carboxy-lyase. This enzyme participates in phenylalanine and tryptophan metabolism.

Structural studies
As of late 2007, only one structure has been solved for this class of enzymes, with the PDB accession code.