Presentation description

Argininosuccinate synthetase 1 (ASS1), the rate limiting enzyme in the conversion of citrulline and aspartate to arginine (Arg), is frequently downregulated in melanoma. Recent therapies target this by depleting exogenous Arg but have found only limited success. Looking for other vulnerabilities that arise with ASS1 deficiency, we investigated the role of ornithine and polyamines in the growth of these cells and the accumulation of amino acids by cells grown in amino acid deficient growth media.