Loss of the NH2 radical from amino compounds. Alanine can be deaminized to produce ammonia and pyruvic acid: CH3CH(NH2)COOH + 0 = CH3CO COOH + NH³. Deaminization may be simple, oxidative, or hydrolytic. Oxidizing enzymes are called deaminization enzymes when the oxidation is accompanied by splitting off of amino groups. Deaminization is the first step in the use of amino acids in cell respiration; the NH2 is converted to urea.