GABA transaminase

A GABA transaminase is an enzyme that catalyzes two reactions:

• 4-aminobutyrate transaminase, which catalyzes the chemical reaction:

  4-aminobutanoate + 2-oxoglutarate ⇌ succinate semialdehyde + L-glutamate

and

• 4-aminobutyrate—pyruvate transaminase, which catalyzes the chemical reaction:

  (1) 4-aminobutanoate + pyruvate ⇌ succinate semialdehyde + L-alanine

  (2) 4-aminobutanoate + glyoxylate ⇌ succinate semialdehyde + glycine

GABA transaminase is targeted by multiple antiepileptic and analgesic drugs referred to as GABA transaminase inhibitors.

An inhibition of this enzyme produces considerable elevated levels of GABA in neurons, since the enzyme metabolizes and degrades GABA.

References

Further reading

• Sherif, Fathi M; Saleem Ahmed, S (1995). "Basic aspects of GABA-transaminase in neuropsychiatric disorders". Clinical Biochemistry. 28 (2): 145–54. doi:10.1016/0009-9120(94)00074-6. PMID 7628073.