The purine deoxyribonucleosides degradation starts with deoxyadenosine reacting with a water molecule and a hydrogen in through a deoxyadenosune deaminase resulting in the release of ammonium and a deoxyinosine. Deoxyinosine reacts in a reversible manner with phosphate through a deoxyinosine phosphorylase resulting in the release of a hypoxanthine and a 2-deoxy-alpha-D-ribose-1-phosphate.
Deoxyadenosine reacts with a phosphate through a deoxyadenosine phosphorylase resulting in the release of adenine and a 2-deoxy-alpha-D-ribose-1-phosphate. This compound in turn reacts with guanine through a deoxyguanosine phosphorylase resulting in the release of a phosphate and a deoxyguanosine.
Deoxy-alpha-D-ribose 1-phosphate reacts with a deoxyribose 1,5-phosphomutase resulting in the release of a 2-deoxy-D-ribose 5 phosphate. This compound in turn reacts with deoxyribose-phosphate aldolase resulting in the release of an acetaldehyde and a a D-glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate.