what does ornithine decarboxylase do
The enzyme ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) catalyzes the decarboxylation of ornithine (a product of the urea cycle) to form putrescine.This reaction is the committed step in polyamine synthesis. In humans, this protein has 461 amino acids and forms a homodimer.he ornithine decarboxylation reaction catalyzed by ornithine decarboxylase is the first and committed step in the synthesis of polyamines, particularly putrescine, spermidine and spermine.