acetyl-CoA + L-glutamate = CoA + H(+) + N-acetyl-L-glutamate Amino-acid biosynthesis; L-arginine biosynthesis; N(2)-acetyl-L-ornithine from L-glutamate: step 1/4. A functional ArgA is critical for the production of the phytotoxin syringomycin and, therefore, for pathogenicity in plants. Belongs to the acetyltransferase family. ArgA subfamily.