Kynurenine/alpha-aminoadipate aminotransferase, mitochondrial, is highly similar to mouse and rat kynurenine aminotransferase II. The rat protein is a homodimer with two transaminase activities. One activity is the transamination of alpha-aminoadipic acid, a final step in the saccaropine pathway which is the major pathway for L-lysine catabolism. The other activity involves the transamination of kynurenine to produce kynurenine acid, the precursor of kynurenic acid which has neuroprotective properties.