This enzyme belongs to the family of hydrolases, those acting on carbon-nitrogen bonds other than peptide bonds, specifically in cyclic amidines. The systematic name of this enzyme class is adenine aminohydrolase. Other names in common use include adenase, adenine aminase, and ADase. This enzyme participates in purine metabolism.
Structural studies
As of late 2007, only one structure has been solved for this class of enzymes, with the PDB accession code 2ICS.
References
Blauch M, Koch FC, Hane ME (1939). "A study of xanthine oxidase of rat blood". J. Biol. Chem. 130: 471–486.
Heppel LA, Hurwitz J, Horecker BL (1957). "Adenine deaminase of Azotobacter vinelandii". J. Am. Chem. Soc. 79 (3): 630–633. doi:10.1021/ja01560a033.