kynureninase; L-kynurenine hydrolase (KYNU)

Function

• catalyzes the cleavage of L-kynurenine & L-3-hydroxykynurenine into anthranilate & 3-hydroxyanthranilate, respectively
• preference for the L-3-hydroxykynurenine
• also has cysteine-conjugate-beta-lyase activity (putative)
• inhibited by o-methoxybenzoylalanine
• amino-acid degradation, L-kynurenine degradation
• L-alanine & anthranilate from L-kynurenine: step 1/1
• cofactor biosynthesis; NAD+ biosynthesis
• pyridine-2,3-dicarboxylate from L-kynurenine: step 2/3

L-kynurenine + H2O <--> anthranilate + L-alanine

L-3-hydroxykynurenine + H2O <--> 3-hydroxyanthranilate + L-alanine

Cofactor: pyridoxal phosphate

Structure

• homodimer (putative)
• belongs to the kynureninase family

Compartment

cytoplasm

Expression

• expressed in all tissues tested (heart, brain placenta, lung, liver, skeletal muscle, kidney & pancreas)
• highest levels found in placenta, liver & lung
• expressed in all brain regions
• increased levels in several cerebral & systemic inflammatory conditions

More general terms

• hydrolase

Additional terms

• kynurenine pathway

Database

• OMIM: https://mirror.omim.org/entry/605197
• UniProt: http://www.uniprot.org/uniprot/Q16719.html