This is one of the 2 subunits of the biotin-dependent propionyl-CoA carboxylase (PCC), a mitochondrial enzyme involved in the catabolism of odd chain fatty acids, branched-chain amino acids isoleucine, threonine, methionine, and valine and other metabolites (PubMed:6765947, PubMed:8434582). Propionyl-CoA carboxylase catalyzes the carboxylation of propionyl-CoA/propanoyl-CoA to D-methylmalonyl- CoA/(S)-methylmalonyl-CoA (PubMed:10101253, PubMed:6765947, PubMed:8434582). Within the holoenzyme, the alpha subunit catalyzes the ATP-dependent carboxylation of the biotin carried by the biotin carboxyl carrier (BCC) domain, while the beta subunit then transfers the carboxyl group from carboxylated biotin to propionyl-CoA (By similarity). Propionyl-CoA carboxylase also significantly acts on butyryl-CoA/butanoyl-CoA, which is converted to ethylmalonyl-CoA/(2S)- ethylmalonyl-CoA at a much lower rate (PubMed:6765947). Other alternative minor substrates include (2E)-butenoyl-CoA/crotonoyl-CoA (By similarity). {ECO:0000250|UniProtKB:P0DTA4, ECO:0000250|UniProtKB:Q5LUF3, ECO:0000269|PubMed:10101253, ECO:0000269|PubMed:6765947, ECO:0000269|PubMed:8434582}. This is the function of PCCA (propionyl-CoA carboxylase subunit alpha, Ensembl gene identifier ENSG00000175198).