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Identify the enzyme that catalyzes the following reaction
α-Ketoglutarate + NADH + NH4+ + H+ →? Glutamate + NAD+ + H2O
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- Glutamate synthetase
- Glutamate oxoglutarate aminotransferase
- Glutamate dehydrogenase
- α-ketoglutarate deaminase
Correct Option: C
Glutamate dehydrogenase (GLDH) is an enzyme, present in most microbes and the mitochondria of eukaryotes, as are some of the other enzymes required for urea synthesis, that converts glutamate to α-ketoglutarate, and vice versa.
The α-ketoglutarate to glutamate reaction does not occur in mammals as glutamate dehydrogenase equilibrium favours the production of ammonia and α-ketoglutarate. NAD+ or NADP+ is a cofactor for the glutamate dehydrogenase reaction, producing α-ketoglutarate and ammonium as a byproduct.