The GNAQQ209L but not the GNAQWT melanocyte cell line exhibited phorbol ester-independent proliferation in culture; a feature associated with melanocyte transformation, and one that was abolished by Ric-8A deletion.33 When the GNAQQ209L melanocyte cell line was grafted into immune-compromised mice, pigmented melanoma tumors grew robustly. Here, RIC8A is linked to melanoma.