 It is a metabolite in the urea cycle and participates in gluconeogenesis.It carries reducing equivalents in the malate-aspartate shuttle, which utilizes the ready interconversion of aspartate and oxaloacetate, which is the oxidized (dehydrogenated) derivative of malic acid.Aspartate donates one nitrogen atom in the biosynthesis of inosine, the precursor to the purine bases.