What is "guanidinopropionase"

n. (context enzyme English) A hydrolase enzyme whose substrates are 3-guanidinopropanoate and water and whose products are beta-alanine and urea.

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

3-guanidinopropanoate + HO $\rightleftharpoons$ beta-alanine + urea

Thus, the two substrates of this enzyme are 3-guanidinopropanoate and HO, whereas its two products are beta-alanine and urea.

This enzyme belongs to the family of hydrolases, those acting on carbon-nitrogen bonds other than peptide bonds, specifically in linear amidines. The systematic name of this enzyme class is 3-guanidinopropanoate amidinopropionase. Other names in common use include GPase, and GPH. It employs one cofactor, manganese.