Transamination

Transamination is a biological process in which amino acids (or, less commonly, ketones) consisting of α-amino acid groups come into contact with other molecules containing hydrogen and oxygen atoms. The result is the addition of carboxylic acid groups to the α-carbon atom of the amino acid; The α-carboxylate fragment bonds with the hydrogen of some other elemental compound (for example, alcohol hydroxide). This process is called "amination". If it is necessary to transfer a carboxylic acid residue (i.e., if the carboxyl group is cleaved from the substrate), transamination occurs. The name "transamination" is sometimes used to refer to the opposite process of transamination.