Pyruvate to alanine in one step: a transaminase moves the amino group from glutamate
Route: Pyruvate + Glutamate → Alanine + α-KG
The enzyme needs pyridoxal phosphate (vitamin B6) as a helper. Glutamate gives up its amino group and becomes α-ketoglutarate, a Krebs cycle compound; pyruvate takes the amino group and becomes alanine. The step runs in both directions. Alanine is not an essential amino acid for humans, and this transamination is also how the liver clears alanine sent from muscle. Pyruvate is the end product of glycolysis, so this pathway starts where glycolysis stops.
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| Step | Enzyme | EC | In | Out |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alanine aminotransferase | 2.6.1.2 |
Enzyme names and EC numbers are those used on the interactive board. Checked against sources: see the claim table in the repository (tools/pathway_data/checks).