A pyridoxal-phosphate protein. The enzyme cleaves a carbon-sulfur bond, releasing hydrogen sulfide and an unstable enamine product that tautomerizes to an imine form, which undergoes a hydrolytic deamination to form 2-oxobutanoate and ammonia. The latter reaction, which can occur spontaneously, can also be catalysed by EC?3.5.99.10, 2-iminobutanoate/2-iminopropanoate deaminase.
