KMO
KMO (kynurenine 3-monooxygenase, also known as kynurenine 3-hydroxylase) is a mitochondrial outer membrane enzyme that hydroxylates L-kynurenine, a metabolite of L-tryptophan, to form 3-hydroxy-L-kynurenine. It is required for the synthesis of quinolinic acid. Browse Assay Genie's current range of KMO research reagents below, or read on for the biology behind the target.
KMO catalyses the hydroxylation of L-kynurenine (L-Kyn) to give 3-hydroxy-L-kynurenine (L-3OHKyn). L-kynurenine is a product of L-tryptophan metabolism, so the enzyme acts at a defined step in the kynurenine pathway. The reaction it performs is also required for the synthesis of quinolinic acid, a neurotoxic NMDA receptor antagonist.
Quinolinic acid is considered a potential endogenous inhibitor of NMDA receptor signalling. That signalling has roles in axonal targeting, synaptogenesis and apoptosis during brain development. Quinolinic acid may also affect NMDA receptor signalling in pancreatic beta cells, osteoblasts, myocardial cells and the gastrointestinal tract, which places KMO activity upstream of several tissue contexts beyond the nervous system.
The KMO protein is a mitochondrion outer membrane enzyme. It belongs to the aromatic-ring hydroxylase family, KMO subfamily, and HGNC classes the KMO gene among the flavoproteins and the oxygenases. Mouse and rat both carry a Kmo ortholog. The enzyme was previously named kynurenine 3-hydroxylase. Studies in yeast identified the gene as a therapeutic target for Huntington disease, and this has made KMO a recurring subject in neurobiology and tryptophan metabolism research.
KMO converts L-kynurenine to 3-hydroxy-L-kynurenine, making it a key enzyme for studying L-tryptophan metabolism.
The KMO gene was identified in yeast studies as a therapeutic target for Huntington disease.
KMO is required for quinolinic acid synthesis, a neurotoxic NMDA receptor antagonist linked to brain development processes.
As an outer membrane flavoprotein oxygenase, KMO is a model for aromatic-ring hydroxylase function at the mitochondrion.
KMO catalyses the hydroxylation of L-kynurenine to 3-hydroxy-L-kynurenine. This step is required for the synthesis of quinolinic acid, a neurotoxic NMDA receptor antagonist and potential endogenous inhibitor of NMDA receptor signalling.
KMO stands for kynurenine 3-monooxygenase, and the enzyme was previously called kynurenine 3-hydroxylase. HGNC lists no other aliases or previous symbols. Its EC number is 1.14.13.9, and UniProt places it in the KMO subfamily of aromatic-ring hydroxylases.
Mouse and rat each have a Kmo ortholog. NCBI Gene notes that studies in yeast identified KMO as a therapeutic target for Huntington disease. Check the datasheet of any product for its validated reactivity.
Related kynurenine pathway and mitochondrial enzyme targets with products at Assay Genie.
Gene and protein annotations from HGNC, NCBI Gene and UniProt O15229; product specifications from Assay Genie datasheets.