Description
Along with EC 3.5.2.15 (cyanuric acid amidohydrolase) and EC 3.5.1.54 (allophanate hydrolase), this enzyme forms part of thecyanuric-acid metabolism pathway, which degrades s-triazide herbicides, such as atrazine [2-chloro-4-(ethylamino)-6-(isopropylamino)-1,3,5-triazine], in bacteria.Urea-1-carboxylate rather than urea (as was thought previously) is the 2-nitrogen intermediate in cyanuric-acid metabolism in bacteria. The product, urea-1-carboxylate,can spontaneously decarboxylate under acidic conditions to form urea but, under physiological conditions, it can be converted into CO2 and ammonia by the action of EC 3.5.1.54.