L-alanine dehydrogenase catalyzes the reversible reductive amination of pyruvate to L-alanine. However, since the physiological environment of M.tuberculosis has a neutral pH, it can be assumed that the enzyme catalyzes exclusively the formation of L-alanine. L-alanine dehydrogenase may play a role in cell wall synthesis as L-alanine is an important constituent of the peptidoglycan layer.