Enzyme responsible for transfer of aminogroups from one aminoacid to a keto acid is-
First, the core concept here is probably transamination. Transamination is the process where an amino group is transferred from an amino acid to a keto acid, resulting in a new amino acid and a new keto acid. The enzymes that catalyze this are called aminotransferases or transaminases. Each aminotransferase is specific for a particular pair of amino acid and keto acid. For example, alanine aminotransferase (ALT) transfers the amino group from alanine to α-ketoglutarate, forming pyruvate and glutamate.
Now, looking at the options, the correct answer would be an aminotransferase. Let's think about the possible distractors. If the options included decarboxylase, that's involved in removing carboxyl groups, not transferring amino groups. Dehydrogenase might be part of the process in the citric acid cycle, like in deamination, but that's different. Maybe another option could be aminase, but that's not a standard term.
Wait, another key point is that the primary enzymes for transamination are the aminotransferases, and they require a coenzyme, which is pyridoxal phosphate (PLP), the active form of vitamin B6. This is important because deficiencies in B6 can affect these enzymes. Also, in the liver, ALT and AST are the most common transaminases, with ALT being specific for alanine and AST for aspartate.
So the correct answer should be an aminotransferase. If the options had "Aminotransferase" as option C, then that's the right choice. The other options would be things like dehydrogenases, decarboxylases, etc. The clinical pearl here is that transaminases are crucial in amino acid metabolism and their levels are measured in liver function tests. For example, elevated ALT and AST levels indicate liver damage.
Let me double-check. The question is about transferring aminogroups between amino acids and keto acids. Yes, transaminases do exactly that. The other enzymes like dehydrogenases are involved in deamination, which is a different process where the amino group is removed as ammonia, not transferred. Decarboxylases remove carboxyl groups, leading to the formation of amines. So the correct answer is definitely an aminotransferase.
**Core Concept**
The enzyme in question catalyzes **transamination**, a key step in amino acid metabolism. This process transfers amino groups between amino acids and α-keto acids via **pyridoxal phosphate (PLP)**-dependent enzymes called **aminotransferases** (transaminases).
**Why the Correct Answer is Right**
**Aminotransferases** (e.g., alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase) facilitate the reversible transfer of amino groups from amino acids (like alanine or aspartate) to α-ketoglutarate, producing glutamate and corresponding α-keto acids.