Question

In bacteria the glutamate dehydrogenase reaction favors glutamate formation. In which human tissue (i.e. liver or muscle) does the reaction operate in a similar manner? Would it be metabolically advantageous if conditions in humans were altered to make the glutamate dehydrogenase reaction favor the same direction (i.e. towards glutamate formation) in both liver and muscle?

Answer 1

Glutamate dehydrogenase having a major role in amino acid metabolism. It is a zinc protein and requires NAD1 or NADP1 as a coenzyme.

It is present in high concentrations in the mitochondria of liver, heart, muscle, and kidney.It catalyzes the oxidative deamination of L-glutamate to α-ketoglutarate and NH3.In mammals, the produced ammonia is usually used as a substrate in the urea cycle. the α-ketoglutarate to glutamate reaction does not occur in mammals, as glutamate dehydrogenase equilibrium favours the production of ammonia and α-ketoglutarate.