Phenylacetate decarboxylase is a carboxy-lyase enzyme. The enzyme was isolated from anoxic toluene-producing microbial communities. It is a glycyl radical enzyme. It requires activation through a dedicated cognate activating enzyme (encoded by PhdA). The cognate activase catalyses the reductive lysing of S-Adenosyl methionine which yields a 5'-deoxyadenosyl radical that allows the production of the glycyl radical. The enzyme catalyzes the following reaction:Phenylacetate + H+ = Toluene + CO2