Cited by 658Polyamine Metabolism and ApplicationsAmino Acid Enzymes and MetabolismBiochemical effects in animals

Remaining mysteries of molecular biology: the role of polyamines in the cell

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Miller-Fleming, Leonor, Olin-Sandoval, Viridiana, Campbell, Kate, Ralser, Markus·2015·Journal of Molecular Biology

Abstract

The polyamines (PAs) spermidine, spermine, putrescine and cadaverine are an essential class of metabolites found throughout all kingdoms of life. In this comprehensive review, we discuss their metabolism, their various intracellular functions and their unusual and conserved regulatory features. These include the regulation of translation via upstream open reading frames, the over-reading of stop codons via ribosomal frameshifting, the existence of an antizyme and an antizyme inhibitor, ubiquitin-independent proteasomal degradation, a complex bi-directional membrane transport system and a unique posttranslational modification-hypusination-that is believed to occur on a single protein only (eIF-5A). Many of these features are broadly conserved indicating that PA metabolism is both concentration critical and evolutionary ancient. When PA metabolism is disrupted, a plethora of cellular processes are affected, including transcription, translation, gene expression regulation, autophagy and stress resistance. As a result, the role of PAs has been associated with cell growth, aging, memory performance, neurodegenerative diseases, metabolic disorders and cancer. Despite comprehensive studies addressing PAs, a unifying concept to interpret their molecular role is missing. The precise biochemical function of polyamines is thus one of the remaining mysteries of molecular cell biology.

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Crossref · 10.1016/j.jmb.2015.06.020

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  • Polyamines are present in every living cell and have important roles in gene expression and proliferation; their endogenous production in eukaryotic cells is strictly regulated.

    “Polyamines are present in every living cell and fulfill important roles in gene expression and proliferation; therefore their endogenous production in eukaryotic cells is strictly regulated (Miller-Fleming et al., 2015).”

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  1. S.S. Cohen, A guide to polyamines, Oxford University Press, Oxford, United Kingdom, 1997.

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Authors
Miller-Fleming, L., Olin-Sandoval, V., Campbell, K., & Ralser, M.
Affiliations
University of Cambridge (GB)
Corresponding author
Ralser, Markus
Venue
Journal of Molecular Biology
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2015-10
Volume
427
Issue
21
Pages
3389-3406
ISSN
0022-2836 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W1000930439
Cited by
658
References
249
Citations by year
2026: 35 · 2025: 60 · 2024: 62 · 2023: 57 · 2022: 67 · 2021: 79 · 2020: 70 · 2019: 77 · 2018: 69 · 2017: 46 · 2016: 29 · 2015: 6
FWCI
4.79
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Journal of Molecular Biology (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Figshare (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • Apollo (University of Cambridge) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • The Francis Crick Institute (cc-by)
Funders
  • Wellcome Trust (RG 093735/Z/10/Z)
  • European Research Council (260809)
  • Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnologia Mexico (232510)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Polyamine Metabolism and Applications
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Biochemistry › Amino Acid Enzymes and Metabolism
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Biochemical effects in animals
Keywords
polyamines, polyamine metabolism, spermidine, spermine, putrescine, cadaverine, translational regulation, upstream open reading frames, ribosomal frameshifting, polyamine transport, hypusination, eIF5A, post-translational modification, autophagy, stress tolerance, gene expression regulation, neurodegenerative diseases, cancer, aging
MeSH terms
Aging, Animals, Gene Expression Regulation, Humans, Neoplasms, Ornithine Decarboxylase, Polyamines, Neurodegenerative Diseases, Cell Proliferation, Biosynthetic Pathways

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