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 …