desulfinase

Term sometimes applied to the enzyme (aspartate-4-decarboxylase) removing sulfite: 1) from cysteinesulfinate, an intermediate in cysteine degradation, yielding alanine; or 2) from sulfinylpyruvate, previously postulated to be formed by deamination of cysteinesulfinate, yielding pyruvate. Degradation of sulfinylpyruvate is now considered to be spontaneous, not requiring an enzyme.