2-oxoglutarate + L-alanine = L-glutamate + pyruvate Photosynthesis; C4 acid pathway. Amino-acid degradation; L-alanine degradation via transaminase pathway; pyruvate from L-alanine: step 1/1. Homodimer. Expressed in shoots, essentially in leaves and flowers, mostly in vascular tissues. Also detected in stems and roots. Rapidly induced upon low-oxygen stress in roots and shoots. The N-terminus is blocked. Belongs to the class-I pyridoxal-phosphate-dependent aminotransferase family. Alanine aminotransferase subfamily.