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unreviewed

Branched-chain aminotransferase (BCAT)

2 reactions · 2 pathways

Cofactors used

PLP (B6) · B6 (Pyridoxine)

What it does, reaction by reaction

2 reactions

Amino Acid Catabolism Overview (glucogenic vs. ketogenic amino acids; brief overview of branched-chain amino acid catabolism and phenylalanine/tyrosine catabolism as representative examples) Amino Acid & Nitrogen Metabolism · Cytosol + mitochondrion

step 4 Reversible

Leucine/isoleucine/valine + α-ketoglutarate ⇌ their respective branched-chain α-keto acids + glutamate

Converts Alpha-ketoglutarate into Glutamate

› Notes

BCAT catalyzes the PLP-dependent, reversible first step of BCAA catabolism, mainly in extrahepatic tissues such as skeletal muscle. Leucine yields α-ketoisocaproate, isoleucine yields α-keto-β-methylvalerate, and valine yields α-ketoisovalerate.

Transamination Amino Acid & Nitrogen Metabolism · Cytosol + mitochondrion

step 5 Reversible

Branched-chain amino acid + α-ketoglutarate ⇌ branched-chain α-keto acid + L-glutamate

Converts Alpha-ketoglutarate into Glutamate

› Notes

Branched-chain amino acid aminotransferase (BCAT; PLP-dependent) initiates leucine, isoleucine, and valine catabolism. This reaction is prominent in skeletal muscle, which expresses BCAT but has relatively little hepatic BCAT activity.

Showing all 2 reactions.

What accelerates and inhibits it

Regulation is pathway-specific, so each context is listed separately

0 entries

No regulation recorded for this enzyme in the source documents.

Recent literature

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Europe PMC · from cache · sorted by publication date

  1. 1
    <i>Akkermansia muciniphila</i>'s <i>nifJ</i> gene enhances colostrum sIgA synthesis by branched-chain amino acid degradation to branched short-chain fatty acids.

    Wu D, Li F, Xiong W, Huang Z, Ma K, Huang J, Cai S, Deng J, Peng J, Xia X, Tan C. · 2026-01-29

    open access unreviewed
  2. 2
    The Complex Relation of Branched-Chain Amino Acids and Inflammation in the Obesity and Diabetes Context.

    Starling-Soares B, Coelho MM, Campolina BG, Duarte CK, Maioli TU. · 2026-01-22

    cited 2× open access unreviewed
  3. 3
    Treatment strategies, radiological recovery, and neurodevelopmental outcomes in paediatric Maple Syrup Urine Disease: a 20-year single-centre experience from Türkiye.

    Uylaş K, Yazıcı H, Altınok YA, Çelik MY, Karapınar FE, Özkaya PY, Isik E, Eraslan C, Canda E, Cogulu O, Karap… · 2026-06-22

    open access unreviewed
  4. 4
    Blood Focused-Metabolomics and Transcriptomics Uncover Non-Linear Risk Association of Inadequate Dietary Choline Intake-Linked Metabolic Stress with MASLD Through Amino Acid Biomarkers, <i>BCAA</i> and <i>MTORC 1</i>/<i>AKT1</i>/<i>IRS1</i> Mechanistic Mediators: A Nested Case-Control Study.

    Wu CH, Lin ML, Wang CY, Chang CY, Lee FJ, Cheng ML, Lin YS, Chen TW, Hsiao YT, Wang BW, Kuo CS, Huang RS. · 2026-05-08

    open access unreviewed
  5. 5
    Enhancing the Quality of Black Bean by <i>Ganoderma oregonense</i> Solid-State Fermentation and Its Application in Steamed Bread.

    Zhang S, Wang Z, Ren X, Bai K, Wang H, Wang Y, Deng B. · 2026-05-04

    open access unreviewed
  6. 6
    Clinico-Metabolic Profiling Unraveled Key Metabolic Alterations Underlying the Pathophysiology of Chronic Myeloid Leukemia.

    Gupta S, Nigam N, Verma SP, Trivedi R, Venkatesh V, Kumar D. · 2026-04-15

    open access unreviewed
  7. 7
    Expression and Localization of Branched-Chain Ketoacid Dehydrogenase E1 Subunits and LAT1 Transporter in Rat Retinal and Ocular Tissues.

    Aldosari DI, Sarawi WS, Algarzae NK, Alhomida AS, Ola MS. · 2026-04-17

    unreviewed
  8. 8
    Experimental chronic fetal hyperglucagonemia stimulates hepatic pathways for amino acid catabolism and gluconeogenesis.

    Tanner AR, Cilvik SN, Nguyen MA, Brown LD, Anthony RV, Wright CJ, Wesolowski SR, Rozance PJ. · 2026-04-28

    unreviewed
  9. 9
    Low Fischer's ratio is associated with increased mortality in patients with kidney failure.

    Zhang Q, Suliman ME, Qureshi AR, Guo F, Troise D, Xu R, Bárány P, Heimbürger O, Stenvinkel P, Lindholm B. · 2026-04-06

    open access unreviewed
  10. 10
    Dynamic <sup>13</sup>C-MRI of Branched-Chain Amino Acid Metabolism Using Hyperpolarized [1-<sup>13</sup>C]2-Ketoisocaproate: A Multiband IDEAL Spiral Approach in Rodents and Pigs.

    Skre IS, Christensen DB, Karlsson M, Ardenkjær-Larsen JH, Olin RB, Lerche MH. · 2025-11-06

    unreviewed

External claims. These come from an index outside this database and are not checked against it. Treat them as leads.