Editing Aspartate transaminase (section)

{{Short description|Enzyme involved in amino acid metabolism}}
{{enzyme
| Name = aspartate transaminase
| EC_number = 2.6.1.1
| CAS_number = 9000-97-9
| GO_code = 0004069
| image = Gallus gallus aspartate aminotransferase monomer.png
| width =
| caption =  [[Chicken]] aspartate aminotransferase bound with coenzyme [[pyridoxal-phosphate|pyridoxal 5-phosphate]].
{{PDB|7AAT}}
|name=}}

'''Aspartate transaminase''' ('''AST''') or '''aspartate aminotransferase''', also known as '''AspAT/ASAT/AAT''' or '''(serum) glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase''' ('''GOT''', '''SGOT'''), is a [[pyridoxal phosphate]] (PLP)-dependent [[transaminase]] enzyme ({{EC number|2.6.1.1}}) that was first described by Arthur Karmen and colleagues in 1954.<ref>{{Cite journal |vauthors=Karmen A, Wroblewski F, Ladue JS |date=January 1955 |title=Transaminase activity in human blood |journal=The Journal of Clinical Investigation |volume=34 |issue=1 |pages=126–131 |doi=10.1172/jci103055 |pmc=438594 |pmid=13221663}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |vauthors=Karmen A |date=January 1955 |title=A note on the spectrometric assay of glutamic-oxalacetic transaminase in human blood serum |journal=The Journal of Clinical Investigation |volume=34 |issue=1 |pages=131–133 |doi=10.1172/JCI103055 |pmc=438594 |pmid=13221664}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |vauthors=Ladue JS, Wroblewski F, Karmen A |date=September 1954 |title=Serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase activity in human acute transmural myocardial infarction |journal=Science |volume=120 |issue=3117 |pages=497–499 |bibcode=1954Sci...120..497L |doi=10.1126/science.120.3117.497 |pmid=13195683}}</ref> AST catalyzes the reversible transfer of an α-amino group between aspartate and glutamate and, as such, is an important enzyme in amino acid metabolism. AST is found in the [[liver]], [[heart]], [[skeletal muscle]], [[kidneys]], [[brain]], red blood cells and gall bladder. Serum AST level, serum ALT ([[alanine transaminase]]) level, and their ratio ([[AST/ALT ratio]]) are commonly measured clinically as [[biomarker]]s for liver health. The tests are part of [[blood test|blood panels]].

The [[biological half-life|half-life]] of total AST in the circulation approximates 17 hours and, on average, 87 hours for ''mitochondrial'' AST.<ref name="Giannini pp. 367–379">{{Cite journal |vauthors=Giannini EG, Testa R, Savarino V |date=February 2005 |title=Liver enzyme alteration: a guide for clinicians |journal=CMAJ |volume=172 |issue=3 |pages=367–379 |doi=10.1503/cmaj.1040752 |pmc=545762 |pmid=15684121 |quote=Aminotransferase clearance is carried out within the liver by sinusoidal cells. The half-life in the circulation is about 47 hours for ALT, about 17 hours for total AST and, on average, 87 hours for mitochondrial AST.}}</ref> [[Aminotransferase]] is cleared by [[Liver sinusoidal endothelial cell|sinusoidal cell]]s in the liver.<ref name="Giannini pp. 367–379" />