Function
Involved in the anaerobic metabolism of phenylalanine and phenylacetate. Catalyzes the oxidative decarboxylation of phenylglyoxylate to benzoyl-CoA and CO(2). It can also react slowly with 2-oxo-3-methylbutanoate and use different electron acceptors such as benzyl viologen, methyl viologen, FAD or FMN, but NAD seems to be the physiological electron acceptor. Also catalyzes an isotope exchange between CO(2) and the carboxyl group which proves partial or complete reversibility of the oxidative decarboxylation reaction.