Transaminase with broad substrate specificity. Has transaminase activity towards aminoadipate, kynurenine, methionine and glutamate. Shows activity also towards tryptophan, aspartate and hydroxykynurenine. Accepts a variety of oxo-acids as amino-group acceptors, with a preference for 2-oxoglutarate, 2-oxocaproic acid, phenylpyruvate and alpha-oxo-gamma-methiol butyric acid. Can also use glyoxylate as amino-group acceptor (in vitro) (By similarity). 2-oxoglutarate + L-kynurenine = H2O + kynurenate + L-glutamate 2-oxoglutarate + L-2-aminoadipate = 2-oxoadipate + L-glutamate 2-oxoglutarate + glycine = glyoxylate + L-glutamate glyoxylate + L-kynurenine = glycine + H2O + kynurenate 3-hydroxy-L-kynurenine + glyoxylate = glycine + H2O + xanthurenate 2-oxohexanoate + L-kynurenine = H2O + kynurenate + L-2-aminohexanoate 3-phenylpyruvate + L-kynurenine = H2O + kynurenate + L-phenylalanine 4-methylsulfanyl-2-oxobutanoate + L-kynurenine = H2O + kynurenate + L-methionine 2-oxo-3-sulfanylpropanoate + L-kynurenine = H2O + kynurenate + L-cysteine indole-3-pyruvate + L-kynurenine = H2O + kynurenate + L-tryptophan 2-oxopentanoate + L-kynurenine = H2O + kynurenate + L-2-aminopentanoate 4-methyl-2-oxopentanoate + L-kynurenine = H2O + kynurenate + L-leucine glyoxylate + L-methionine = 4-methylsulfanyl-2-oxobutanoate + glycine glyoxylate + L-2-aminoadipate = 2-oxoadipate + glycine glyoxylate + L-tyrosine = 3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)pyruvate + glycine glyoxylate + L-phenylalanine = 3-phenylpyruvate + glycine glyoxylate + L-tryptophan = glycine + indole-3-pyruvate glyoxylate + L-leucine = 4-methyl-2-oxopentanoate + glycine 2-oxobutanoate + L-kynurenine = (2S)-2-aminobutanoate + H2O + kynurenate 2-oxoadipate + L-kynurenine = H2O + kynurenate + L-2-aminoadipate Amino-acid degradation; L-lysine degradation via saccharopine pathway; glutaryl-CoA from L-lysine: step 4/6. Homodimer. Expressed mainly in kidney and to a lesser amount in liver and brain. Belongs to the class-I pyridoxal-phosphate-dependent aminotransferase family.