4-aminobutyrate transaminase

In enzymology, a 4-aminobutyrate transaminase is an enzyme that catalyzes the chemical reaction


 * 4-aminobutanoate + 2-oxoglutarate $$\rightleftharpoons$$ succinate semialdehyde + L-glutamate

Thus, the two substrates of this enzyme are 4-aminobutanoate and 2-oxoglutarate, whereas its two products are succinate semialdehyde and L-glutamate.

This enzyme belongs to the family of transferases, specifically the transaminases, which transfer nitrogenous groups. The systematic name of this enzyme class is 4-aminobutanoate:2-oxoglutarate aminotransferase. Other names in common use include beta-alanine-oxoglutarate transaminase, aminobutyrate aminotransferase, beta-alanine aminotransferase, beta-alanine-oxoglutarate aminotransferase, gamma-aminobutyrate aminotransaminase, gamma-aminobutyrate transaminase, gamma-aminobutyrate-alpha-ketoglutarate aminotransferase, gamma-aminobutyrate-alpha-ketoglutarate transaminase, gamma-aminobutyrate:alpha-oxoglutarate aminotransferase, gamma-aminobutyric acid aminotransferase, gamma-aminobutyric acid pyruvate transaminase, gamma-aminobutyric acid transaminase, gamma-aminobutyric acid-alpha-ketoglutarate transaminase, gamma-aminobutyric acid-alpha-ketoglutaric acid aminotransferase, gamma-aminobutyric acid-2-oxoglutarate transaminase, gamma-aminobutyric transaminase, 4-aminobutyrate aminotransferase, 4-aminobutyrate-2-ketoglutarate aminotransferase, 4-aminobutyrate-2-oxoglutarate aminotransferase, 4-aminobutyrate-2-oxoglutarate transaminase, 4-aminobutyric acid 2-ketoglutaric acid aminotransferase, 4-aminobutyric acid aminotransferase, aminobutyrate aminotransferase, aminobutyrate transaminase, GABA aminotransferase, GABA transaminase, GABA transferase, GABA-alpha-ketoglutarate aminotransferase, GABA-alpha-ketoglutarate transaminase, GABA-alpha-ketoglutaric acid transaminase, GABA-alpha-oxoglutarate aminotransferase, GABA-2-oxoglutarate aminotransferase, GABA-2-oxoglutarate transaminase, GABA-oxoglutarate aminotransferase, GABA-oxoglutarate transaminase, glutamate-succinic semialdehyde transaminase, and GabT. This enzyme participates in 5 metabolic pathways: glutamate metabolism, alanine and aspartate metabolism, beta-alanine metabolism, propanoate metabolism, and butanoate metabolism. It employs one cofactor, pyridoxal phosphate.

Structural studies
As of late 2007, 9 structures have been solved for this class of enzymes, with PDB accession codes, , , , , , , , and.