Aromatic amino acid deaminases are key enzymes mediating carbon flux from primary to secondary metabolism in plants. Recent studies have uncovered a tyrosine ammonia-lyase that contributes to the typical characteristics of grass cell walls and contributes to about 50% of the total lignin synthesized by the plant. Grasses are currently preferred bioenergy feedstocks and lignin is the most important limiting factor in the conversion of plant biomass to liquid biofuels, as well as being an abundant renewable carbon source that can be industrially exploited. Further research on the structure, evolution, regulation, and biological function of functionally distinct ammonia-lyases has multiple implications for improving the economics of the agri-food and biofuel industries.

芳香族氨基酸脱氨基酶是介导植物中从初生代谢到次生代谢的碳通量的关键酶。最近的研究发现酪氨酸氨解酶可促进草细胞壁的典型特征，并占植物合成的木质素总量的约50％。目前，草是首选的生物能源原料，木质素是植物生物质向液态生物燃料转化的最重要限制因素，并且是可以在工业上开发的丰富可再生碳源。对功能独特的氨裂解酶的结构，进化，调控和生物学功能的进一步研究对于改善农业食品和生物燃料行业的经济状况具有多重意义。