Identification of nine sucrose nonfermenting 1-related protein kinases 2 activated by hyperosmotic and saline stresses in Arabidopsis thaliana

Several calcium-independent protein kinases were activated by hyperosmotic and saline stresses in Arabidopsis cell suspension. Similar activation profiles were also observed in seedlings exposed to hyperosmotic stress. One of them was identified to AtMPK6 but the others remained to be identified. They were assumed to belong to the SNF1 (sucrose nonfermenting 1)-related protein kinase 2 (SnRK2) family, which constitutes a plant-specific kinase group. The 10 Arabidopsis SnRK2 were expressed both in cells and seedlings, making the whole SnRK2 family a suitable candidate. Using a family-specific antibody raised against the 10 SnRK2, we demonstrated that these non-MAPK protein kinases activated by hyperosmolarity in cell suspension were SnRK2 proteins. Then, the molecular identification of the involved SnRK2 was investigated by transient expression assays. Nine of the 10 SnRK2 were activated by hyperosmolarity induced by mannitol, as well as NaCl, indicating an important role of the SnRK2 family in osmotic signaling. In contrast, none of the SnRK2 were activated by cold treatment, whereas abscisic acid only activated five of the nine SnRK2. The probable involvement of the different Arabidopsis SnRK2 in several abiotic transduction pathways is discussed.