In some species, histidine utilization goes via urocanate to glutamate in four step, the last being removal of formamide. This model describes an alternate fourth step, formiminoglutamate hydrolase, which leads to N-formyl-L-glutamate. This product may be acted on by formylglutamate amidohydrolase (TIGR02017) and bypass glutamate as a product during its degradation. Alternatively, removal of formate (by EC 3.5.1.68) would yield glutamate. [Energy metabolism, Amino acids and amines]