Decarboxylation of aspartate is the major route of beta-alanine production in bacteria, and is catalysed by the enzyme aspartatedecarboxylase EC:4.1.1.11 which requires a pyruvoyl group forits activity. It is synthesised initially as a proenzyme whichis then proteolytically cleaved to an alpha (C-terminal) andbeta (N-terminal) subunit and a pyruvoyl group. This familycontains both chains of aspartate decarboxylase. Aspartate decarboxylase Asp_decarbox