a-ketoglutarate is the a-keto acid that correspon to glutamate. Thereby, the synthesis of glutamate is a one-step transamination reaction.

Glutamine is synthesized from glutamate amidation. Glutamine is the amino group donor in the formation of many biosynthetic products, as well as being a storage form of ammonia.

Conversion of glutamate to proline involves the reduction of the g-carboxyl group to an aldehyde, followed by the formation of an internal Schiff base whose further reaction yields proline.

Arginine is syntehsized from ornithine by the same reaction of the urea cycle.