Biochemistry · Molecule
Glutamate (glutamic acid) !
Glutamate gathers the nitrogen of amino acids and hands it on for urea; in the brain it is the main excitatory neurotransmitter.
Updated 2026-11-01
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Key facts
- Almost all transaminases make it: amino acid + α-ketoglutarate → keto acid + glutamate.
- Glutamate dehydrogenase deaminates it and releases NH₄⁺ in liver mitochondria.
- Precursor of glutamine, GABA, proline, ornithine, glutathione and N-acetylglutamate.
- Non-essential and glucogenic: its carbon skeleton is α-ketoglutarate.
- Formula
- C₅H₉NO₄
- PubChem
- CID 33032
Structure
- A five-carbon acidic amino acid with two carboxyl groups; at body pH it carries a net negative charge.
Clinical notes
- Excess glutamate at the synapse (excitotoxicity) takes part in the damage of stroke and seizures.
- Ketamine and memantine block the NMDA receptor, one of its receptors.
- Its decarboxylation to GABA needs pyridoxal phosphate (B6): B6 deficiency can cause seizures.
Pathways
- Urea cycle
- Phenylalanine and tyrosine metabolism
- De novo purine synthesis
- Pyrimidine synthesis
- Branched-chain amino acid breakdown (leucine route)
- Malate–aspartate shuttle
Related conditions
Related
- Glutamine
- Glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH)
- Glutamine synthetase
- Alanine aminotransferase (ALT, GPT)
- Aspartate aminotransferase (AST, GOT)
- Transamination and deamination
- Molecules derived from amino acids
Test yourself
Think of the answer, then tap the question to see it.
Which keto acid accepts the amino group in almost all transaminations?
α-Ketoglutarate, which becomes glutamate.
Which inhibitory neurotransmitter is made from glutamate?
GABA, by glutamate decarboxylase, which needs pyridoxal phosphate (B6).
Which glutamate-derived molecule activates CPS-I?
N-acetylglutamate, made with acetyl-CoA by NAG synthase.
Molecules are shown in their neutral form, as the databases deposit them; in the cell the acids and phosphates are ionised.
Educational information, not medical advice. For any symptom, see a health professional.
Sources: L-Glutamic Acid (CID 33032) (PubChem, NCBI, 2026) · Public domain; Glutamate and glutamine metabolism (Reactome, 2026); Textbook of Biochemistry for Medical Students, 6th ed. (Jaypee Brothers Medical Publishers (Vasudevan DM, Sreekumari S, Vaidyanathan K), 2011).
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Representative model, for educational purposes only.