Functions of polyamines in mammals

Anthony E. Pegg

    Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

    489 Scopus citations

    Abstract

    The content of spermidine and spermine in mammalian cells has important roles in protein and nucleic acid synthesis and structure, protection from oxidative damage, activity of ion channels, cell proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. Spermidine is essential for viability and acts as the precursor of hypusine, a post-translational addition to eIF5A allowing the translation of mRNAs encoding proteins containing polyproline tracts. Studies with Gy mice and human patients with the very rare X-linked genetic condition Snyder-Robinson syndrome that both lack spermine synthase show clearly that the correct spermine:spermidine ratio is critical for normal growth and development.

    Original languageEnglish (US)
    Pages (from-to)14904-14912
    Number of pages9
    JournalJournal of Biological Chemistry
    Volume291
    Issue number29
    DOIs
    StatePublished - Jul 15 2016

    All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

    • Biochemistry
    • Molecular Biology
    • Cell Biology

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