Metformin is a medication for type 2 diabetes but little is known about the fate of metformin by microbial catabolism. Here the authors characterize a Ni2 + -dependent heterohexameric enzyme MetCaCb from the ureohydrolase superfamily, catalyzing the hydrolysis of metformin into guanylurea and dimethylamine.
- Tao Li
- Zhi-Jing Xu
- Ning-Yi Zhou