Reaction: (1a) NH2-CO-NH-CH2-NH-CO-NH2 + H2O = N-(carboxyaminomethyl)urea + NH3
(1b) N-(carboxyaminomethyl)urea = N-(aminomethyl)urea + CO2 (spontaneous)
(1c) N-(aminomethyl)urea + H2O = N-(hydroxymethyl)urea + ammonia (spontaneous)
Other name(s): methylenediurease
Systematic name: methylenediurea aminohydrolase
Comments: The methylenediurea is hydrolysed and decarboxylated to give an aminated methylurea, which then spontaneously hydrolyses to hydroxymethylurea. The enzyme from Ochrobactrum anthropi also hydrolyses dimethylenetriurea and trimethylenetetraurea as well as ureidoglycolate, which is hydrolysed to urea and glyoxylate, and allantoate, which is hydrolysed to ureidoglycolate, ammonia and carbon dioxide.
Links to other databases: BRENDA, EXPASY, KEGG, Metacyc, CAS registry number: 205830-62-2
References:
1. Jahns, T., Schepp, R., Kaltwasser, H. Purification and characterisation of an enzyme from a strain of Ochrobactrum anthropi that degrades condensation products of urea and formaldehyde (ureaform). Can. J. Microbiol. 43 (1997) 1111-1117.