A pyridoxal 5'-phosphate protein. The enzyme cleaves a carbon-sulfur bond, releasing L-thiocysteine and an unstable enamine product that tautomerizes to an imine form, which undergoes a hydrolytic deamination to form pyruvate and ammonia. The latter reaction, which can occur spontaneously, can also be catalysed by EC 3.5.99.10, 2-iminobutanoate/2-iminopropanoate deaminase. The enzyme from Brassica oleracea var. italica (broccoli) does not act on cysteine or cystathionine.