Glutaminase 1 (GLS1)

Glutaminase 1 is an amidohydrolase enzyme that catalyzes the hydrolysis of L-glutamine to L-glutamate and ammonia. It is encoded by the GLS gene and is often referred to as "kidney-type" or "phosphate-dependent" glutaminase. This enzyme plays a central role in cellular metabolism by providing cells with a source of glutamate—a critical neurotransmitter in the brain—and supporting acid-base balance through renal ammoniagenesis. In cancer biology, overexpression or hyperactivity of GLS1 supports tumor cell proliferation by fueling anabolic processes with intermediates derived from increased glucose and amino acid metabolism. As such, it has emerged as an important therapeutic target for anticancer drug development; several small-molecule inhibitors have been developed that act either at the active site or allosterically inhibit its function.

Other names

L-glutaminaseglutamine aminohydrolasephosphate-activated glutaminasekidney-type glutaminase

Inhibition of GLS1 reduces conversion of glutamine to glutamate, starving cancer cells of key nutrients and intermediates for growth.