deaminase /dē·am″inās/ [L, de, away, amine, ammonia; Fr, diastase, enzyme] , one of the subclasses of enzymes that catalyze the hydrolysis of the NH2 bond in amino compounds, usually with the concomitant removal of ammonia. The enzymes are usually named according to the substrate, such as adenosine deaminase, guanine deaminase, or guanosine deaminase. Also called aminohydrolase.
