Description
DPYS, also known as dihydropyrimidinase, belongs to the DHOase family, hydantoinase/dihydropyrimidinase subfamily. DPYS catalyzes the second step of the reductive pyrimidine degradation, the reversible hydrolytic ring opening of dihydropyrimidines. It can catalyzes the ring opening of 5,6-dihydrouracil to N-carbamyl-alanine and of 5,6-dihydrothymine to N-carbamyl-amino isobutyrate. DPYS is expressed at a high level in liver and kidney as a major 2.5-kb transcript and a minor 3.8-kb transcript. Defects in the DPYS gene are linked to dihydropyrimidinuria.