Metabolic signalling and carbon partitioning: role of Snf1-related (SnRK1) protein kinase

A protein kinase that plays a key role in the global control of plant carbon metabolism is SnRK1 (sucrose non-fermenting-1-related protein kinase 1), so-called because of its homology and functional similarity with sucrose non-fermenting 1 (SNF1) of yeast. This article reviews studies on the characterization of SnRK1 gene families, SnRK1 regulation and function, interacting proteins, and the effects of manipulating SnRK1 activity on carbon metabolism and development.     

A role for the carbohydrate‐binding module (CBM) in regulatory SnRK1 subunits: the effect of maltose on SnRK1 activity

SnRK1 is a protein kinase complex that is involved in several aspects of plant growth and development. There are published data indicative of a participation of SnRK1 in the regulation of the synthesis and degradation of starch, although the molecular mechanism is not known. In this work, we performed electron microscopy to explore the in vivo localization of the regulatory and catalytic subunits that constitute the SnRK1 complex. The results indicated that all the subunits are present in the chloroplast and, in particular, the SnRK1 βγ and SnRK1 β3 subunits are associated with starch. Furthermore, the regulatory subunits bind maltose, a relevant product of starch degradation. The kinase activity of immunoprecipitated complexes containing the βγ regulatory subunit was positively regulated by maltose only in the complexes obtained from Arabidopsis leaves collected at dusk. Recombinant complexes with the SnRK1α1 catalytic subunit, SnRK1βγ and three different β subunits showed that maltose only had an effect on a complex formed with the β3 subunit. Truncation of the CBM domain form SnRK1 βγ abolished the maltose activation of the complex and the activity was significantly reduced, indicating that the CBM is a positive regulator of SnRK1. A model of the SnRK1α1/βγ/β3 complex suggests the presence of two putative maltose‐binding sites, both involving ligand interactions with the βγ subunit and the α subunit.     

A cell cycle role for a plant sucrose nonfermenting-1-related protein kinase (SnRK1) is indicated by expression in yeast

Plant sucrose nonfermenting-1 (SNF1)-related protein kinases (SnRK1s) have been shown to restore carbon catabolite derepression of gene expression in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae when expressed in snf1 mutants. SNF1 has been implicated in the mediation of cell cycle control in response to nutrient levels and, in the present study, we show that expression of the rye (Secale cereale) SnRK1, RKIN1, in a yeast snf1 mutant has a dramatic effect on the size of cells growing on a minimal medium where SNF1 function is essential. The mean volume of the yeast cells which were expressing RKIN1 was two-thirds that of the whi1 mutant, the smallest viable cells known in S. cerevisiae, and the cells died after 3 days unless rescued onto complex medium. This is the first experimental evidence of a role for SnRK1s in plant cell cycle control.     

A phosphorylation-independent role for the yeast cyclin-dependent kinase activating kinase Cak1

Cdc28 is the main cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) directing the cell cycle in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Besides cyclin binding, Cdc28 requires phosphorylation by the Cak1 kinase to achieve full activity. We have previously isolated carboxy-terminal cdc28^CST mutants that are temperature sensitive and exhibit high chromosome instability. Both phenotypes are suppressed by high copy Cak1 in a manner that is independent of its catalytic activity and conversely, combination of cdc28^CST and cak1 mutations results in synthetic lethality. Altogether, these results suggest that for the Cdc28 complexes to remain stable and active, an interaction with Cak1 is needed via the carboxyl terminus of Cdc28. We report two-hybrid assay data that support this model, and results that indicate that actively growing yeast cells require an optimum Cdc28:Cak1 ratio. While Cak1 is constitutively active and expressed, dividing cells tightly regulate Cak1 protein levels to ensure presence of adequate levels of Cdc28 CDK activity.     

BAC-recombineering for studying plant gene regulation: developmental control and cellular localization of SnRK1 kinase subunits

Recombineering, permitting precise modification of genes within bacterial artificial chromosomes (BACs) through homologous recombination mediated by lambda phage-encoded Red proteins, is a widely used powerful tool in mouse, Caenorhabditis and Drosophila genetics. As Agrobacterium-mediated transfer of large DNA inserts from binary BACs and TACs into plants occurs at low frequency, recombineering is so far seldom exploited in the analysis of plant gene functions. We have constructed binary plant transformation vectors, which are suitable for gap-repair cloning of genes from BACs using recombineering methods previously developed for other organisms. Here we show that recombineering facilitates PCR-based generation of precise translational fusions between coding sequences of fluorescent reporter and plant proteins using galK-based exchange recombination. The modified target genes alone or as part of a larger gene cluster can be transferred by high-frequency gap-repair into plant transformation vectors, stably maintained in Agrobacterium and transformed without alteration into plants. Versatile application of plant BAC-recombineering is illustrated by the analysis of developmental regulation and cellular localization of interacting AKIN10 catalytic and SNF4 activating subunits of Arabidopsis Snf1-related (SnRK1) protein kinase using in vivo imaging. To validate full functionality and in vivo interaction of tagged SnRK1 subunits, it is demonstrated that immunoprecipitated SNF4-YFP is bound to a kinase that phosphorylates SnRK1 candidate substrates, and that the GFP- and YFP-tagged kinase subunits co-immunoprecipitate with endogenous wild type AKIN10 and SNF4.     

Sugar transport through maltoporin of Escherichia coli: role of the greasy slide

The lining of the maltodextrin-specific maltoporin (LamB) channel exhibits a string of aromatic residues, the greasy slide, part of which has been shown previously by crystallography to be involved in substrate binding. To probe the functional role of the greasy slide, alanine scanning mutagenesis has been performed on the six greasy slide residues and Y118 at the channel constriction. The mutants were characterized by an in vivo uptake assay and sugar-induced-current-noise analysis. Crystallographic analysis of the W74A mutant showed no perturbation of the structure. All mutants showed considerably decreased maltose uptake rates in vivo (<10% of the wild-type value), indicating the functional importance of the investigated residues. Substitutions at the channel center revealed appreciably increased (up to 100-fold) in vitro half-saturation concentrations for maltotriose and maltohexaose binding to the channel. Sugar association rates, however, were significantly affected also by the mutations at either end of the slide (W74A, W358A, and F227A), an effect which became most apparent upon nonsymmetrical sugar addition. The kinetic data are discussed on the basis of an asymmetric one-site two-barrier model, which suggests that, at low substrate concentrations, as are found under physiological conditions, only the heights of the extracellular and periplasmic barriers, which are reduced by the presence of the greasy slide, determine the efficiency of this facilitated diffusion channel.     

A role for calcium/calmodulin kinase in insulin stimulated glucose transport

Previous research has shown that the CAMK (calcium/calmodulin dependent protein kinase) inhibitor, KN62, can lead to reductions in insulin stimulated glucose transport. Although controversial, an L-type calcium channel mechanism has also been hypothesized to be involved in insulin stimulated glucose transport. The purpose of this report was to determine if 1) L-type calcium channels and CAMK are involved in a similar signaling pathway in the control of insulin stimulated glucose transport and 2) determine if insulin induces an increase in CAMKII phosphorylation through an L-type calcium channel dependent mechanism. Insulin stimulated glucose transport was significantly (p<0.05) inhibited to a similar extent ( approximately 30%) by both KN62 and nifedipine in rat soleus and epitrochelaris muscles. The new finding of these experiments was that the combined inhibitory effect of these two compounds was not greater than the effect of either inhibitor alone. To more accurately determine the interaction between CAMK and L-type calcium channels, we measured insulin induced changes in CAMKII phosphorylation using Western blot analysis. The novel finding of this set of experiments was that insulin induced an increase in phosphorylated CAMKII ( approximately 40%) in rat soleus muscle that was reversed in the presence of KN62 but not nifedipine. Taken together these results suggest that a CAMK signaling mechanism may be involved in insulin stimulated glucose transport in skeletal muscle through an L-type calcium channel independent mechanism.     

Sucrose transport from source to sink seeds in rice

In many higher plants, sucrose is loaded as a major carbon photoassimiliate into the phloem apoplastically by sucrose transporters (SUTs) and unloaded in sink tissues, where it serves as a storage material, carbohydrate backbone, and energy source. In sink tissues, a proportion of sucrose molecules are converted by cell wall invertases (CINs) into hexose that is imported into cells by monosaccharide transporters (MSTs). Thus, in developing seeds, co-ordinated regulation of SUTs, CINs, and MSTs is crucial in carbon distribution. Here, we summarize current efforts on the identification of SUTs, CINs, and MSTs in rice.     

Sugar accumulation in sugarcane: role of cell walls in sucrose transport

A new method was devised to measure the concentration of sucrose in the free space of sugarcane stalks. The free space includes the aqueous phase of cell walls. The method differs substantially, in principle, from one used previously, but it gave the same result, namely, that sucrose concentrations in the free space can approach the level in the bulk of the tissue.     

A role for AMP-activated protein kinase in contraction- and hypoxia-regulated glucose transport in skeletal muscle

Eukaryotic cells possess systems for sensing nutritional stress and inducing compensatory mechanisms that minimize the consumption of ATP while utilizing alternative energy sources. Such stress can also be imposed by increased energy needs, such as in skeletal muscle of exercising animals. In these studies, we consider the role of the metabolic sensor, AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), in the regulation of glucose transport in skeletal muscle. Expression in mouse muscle of a dominant inhibitory mutant of AMPK completely blocked the ability of hypoxia or AICAR to activate hexose uptake, while only partially reducing contraction-stimulated hexose uptake. These data indicate that AMPK transmits a portion of the signal by which muscle contraction increases glucose uptake, but other AMPK-independent pathways also contribute to the response.     

Interaction of MAP kinase with MAP kinase kinase: its possible role in the control of nucleocytoplasmic transport of MAP kinase.

The mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascade consisting of MAPK and its direct activator, MAPK kinase (MAPKK), is essential for signaling of various extracellular stimuli to the nucleus. Upon stimulation, MAPK is translocated to the nucleus, whereas MAPKK stays in the cytoplasm. It has been shown recently that the cytoplasmic localization of MAPKK is determined by its nuclear export signal (NES) in the near N-terminal region (residues 33-44). However, the mechanism determining the subcellular distribution of MAPK has been poorly understood. Here, we show that introduction of v-Ras, active STE11 or constitutively active MAPKK can induce nuclear translocation of MAPK in mammalian cultured cells. Furthermore, we show evidence suggesting that MAPK is localized to the cytoplasm through its specific association with MAPKK and that nuclear accumulation of MAPK is accompanied by dissociation of a complex between MAPK and MAPKK following activation of the MAPK pathway. We have identified the MAPK-binding site of MAPKK as its N-terminal residues 1-32. Moreover, a peptide encompassing the MAPK-binding site and the NES sequence of MAPKK has been shown to be sufficient to retain MAPK to the cytoplasm. These findings reveal the molecular basis regulating subcellular distribution of MAPK, and identify a novel function of MAPKK as a cytoplasmic anchoring protein for MAPK.     

Insulin-like growth factor-1 effects on bovine retinal endothelial cell glucose transport: role of MAP kinase

In order to maintain normal metabolism, the neuroretina is completely dependent on the constant delivery of glucose across the retinal microvascular endothelial cells comprising the inner blood-retinal barrier. Glucose uptake into these cells is influenced by various stimuli, including hypoxia and growth factors. Recently, insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) was shown to enhance retinal endothelial glucose transport in a process that is dependent on protein kinase C (PKC) and phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase (PI3 kinase). In the current study, the role of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAP kinase) in regulating IGF-1 effects on retinal endothelial cell glucose transport was investigated in a bovine retinal endothelial cell (BREC) culture model. IGF-1 (25 ng/mL) caused a rapid increase in MAP-kinase activity and ERK phosphorylation. Inhibition of MAP kinase with PD98059 (100 microm) blocked IGF-1 enhancement of 2-deoxyglucose uptake. In order to clarify the relationship between PKC, PI3 kinase and MAP kinase in IGF-1 signaling in retinal endothelial cells, the effects of selective inhibitors of MAP kinase (PD98059), PKC (GF109203X), and PI3 kinase (wortmannin, LY294002) on signal transduction by IGF-1 were studied. Inhibition of MAP kinase abolished IGF-1 stimulation of PKC but had no effect on PI3 kinase activity, whereas inhibition of either PKC and PI3 kinase had no effect on MAP kinase phosphorylation or activity in IGF-1-treated cells. Taken together, these data demonstrate that IGF-1 stimulation of BREC glucose transport requires activation of MAP kinase and that MAP kinase is upstream from PKC but is independent of PI3 kinase in mediating the actions of IGF-1 on retinal endothelial cells.     

A pivotal role for the multifunctional calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II in T cells: from activation to unresponsiveness

Stimulation of the TCR leads to an oscillatory release of free calcium that activates members of the calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) family. The CaMKII molecules have profound and lasting effects on cellular signaling in several cell types, yet the role of CaMKII in T cells is still poorly characterized. In this report we describe a splice variant of CaMKIIbeta, CaMKIIbeta'e, in mouse T cells. We have determined its function, along with that of CaMKIIgamma, by introducing the active and kinase-dead mutants into activated P14 TCR transgenic T cells using retroviral transduction. Active CaMKII enhanced the proliferation and cytotoxic activity of T cells while reducing their IL-2 production. Furthermore, it induced a profound state of unresponsiveness that could be overcome only by prolonged culture in IL-2. These results indicate that members of the CaMKII family play an important role in regulation of CD8 T cell proliferation, cytotoxic effector function, and the response to restimulation.