It has been shown that ASS1 is not expressed in a number of different malignancies including some melanoma, prostate cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma, mesothelioma and bladder cancers.3–5 Given that this loss of ASS1 expression, and therefore the ability to synthesise arginine de novo is specific to malignant cells, trials of the non-mammalian enzyme, arginine deiminase (ADI), as a potential therapy to selectively kill the cancer cells have been performed and are ongoing.6,7. The gene discussed is ASS1; the disease is cancer.