Target type: molecularfunction
Catalysis of the reaction: L-kynurenine + H2O = anthranilate + L-alanine. [EC:3.7.1.3]
Kynureninase activity is a crucial step in the kynurenine pathway, a major route for tryptophan catabolism. The enzyme catalyzes the hydrolytic cleavage of L-kynurenine to anthranilic acid and alanine. This reaction involves the removal of an amino group from L-kynurenine, which is then transferred to a water molecule to form alanine. The resulting anthranilic acid can then be further metabolized to various downstream products, including nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+), a vital coenzyme in cellular metabolism. The molecular function of kynureninase activity is thus essential for the production of NAD+ and the detoxification of tryptophan metabolites. Furthermore, the kynurenine pathway plays a role in immune response, neurotransmission, and inflammation. Aberrant activity of kynureninase can contribute to various pathologies, including neurodegenerative disorders, autoimmune diseases, and cancer.'
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| Protein | Definition | Taxonomy |
|---|---|---|
| Kynureninase | A kynureninase that is encoded in the genome of human. [PRO:DNx, UniProtKB:Q16719] | Homo sapiens (human) |
| Compound | Definition | Classes | Roles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3-hydroxykynurenine | 3-hydroxykynurenine : A hydroxykynurenine that is kynurenine substituted by a hydroxy group at position 3. 3-hydroxykynurenine: RN given refers to cpd without isomeric designation hydroxykynurenine : A hydroxy-amino acid that is kynurenine substituted by a single hydroxy group at unspecified position. A "closed" class. | hydroxykynurenine | human metabolite |
| kynurenine | L-kynurenine : A kynurenine that has L configuration. | amino acid zwitterion; kynurenine; non-proteinogenic L-alpha-amino acid | human metabolite; mouse metabolite; Saccharomyces cerevisiae metabolite |
| 3-hydroxyhippuric acid | 3-hydroxyhippuric acid: a kynureninase inhibitor; structure in first source m-hydroxyhippuric acid : An N-acylglycine that is hippuric acid (N-benzoylglycine) substituted at position 3 on the phenyl ring by a hydroxy group. | N-acylglycine; phenols | metabolite |