Adenosine deaminase (ADA), also known as ADAT2 is an enzyme involved in purine metabolism. It is needed for the breakdown of adenosine from food and for the turnover of nucleic acids in tissues. Also, ADAT2 is thought to participate in the deamination of adenosine-34 to inosine in many tRNAs. Belonging to the cytidine and deoxycytidylate deaminase protein family, ADAT2 employs zinc as a cofactor. ADAT2 is a 191 amino acid protein that exists as two isoforms produced by alternative splicing events.