Abstract 1348 A mass spectrometry assay to measure in vitro spermidine production by carboxyspermidine dehydrogenase and carboxyspermidine decarboxylase

Polyamines are organic compounds essential to all living organisms, although excessive polyamine levels in the human body are associated with cell proliferation and cancer. Humans uptake polyamines produced by gut microbes, contributing to systemic polyamine levels. In a common bacterial biosynthetic pathway, carboxyspermidine dehydrogenase (CASDH) performs a reductive condensation of putrescine and aspartate semi-aldehyde to create carboxyspermidine, and carboxyspermidine decarboxylase (CASDC) decarboxylates the carboxyspermidine to form the polyamine spermidine.