Despite its homology to glutamic acid decarboxylase, glutamic acid decarboxylase-like protein 1 (GADL1) lacks the activity to decarboxylate glutamate to gamma-aminobutyrate. Instead, it may catalyze the decarboxylation of aspartate, cysteine sulfinic acid, and cysteic acid to beta-alanine, hypotaurine and taurine, respectively []. Its expression pattern suggests a role in neurotransmitter and neuroprotectant metabolism [, ].
