Glutamine transaminase from rat brain was shown to occur in the mitochondrial fraction, whereas the ω‐amidase was shown to occur in the soluble fraction. Both enzymes were also found to be widely distributed throughout human brain tissue. Specific activities for the glutamine transaminase and ω‐amidase in the parietal cortex of one individual at 5 h post mortem were 8 and 53 μmol per hour per gram of tissue, respectively. Rat brain glutamine transaminase was shown to be identical to that of the liver mitochondrial enzyme. Improved assays for glutamine transaminase and ω‐amidase activities in crude tissue homogenates are described. The possible physiological importance of glutamine transaminase and its potential role in the encephalopathy of hepatic disease are discussed.
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Cooper et al. (1977) studied this question.