An enzyme that catalyzes the removal of a carboxyl group (a carbon and two oxygens bonded together) from organic molecules.
From decarboxyl- (decarboxyl- from de- + carboxyl) + -ase (enzyme suffix, from Greek 'enzyme'). Emerged in biochemistry in the early-to-mid 20th century as scientists identified specific protein catalysts.
Decarboxylases are molecular scissors inside your cells—they snip carboxyl groups off amino acids and other molecules billions of times per day to keep you alive!
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