The mammalian AMP-activated protein kinase complex mediates glucose regulation of gene expression in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) controls energy homeostasis in eukaryotic cells. Here we expressed hetero-trimeric mammalian AMPK complexes in a Saccharomyces cerevisiae mutant lacking all five genes encoding yeast AMPK/SNF1 components. Certain mammalian complexes complemented the growth defect of the yeast mutant on non-fermentable carbon sources. Phosphorylation of the AMPK alpha 1-subunit was glucose-regulated, albeit not by the G1c7-Reg1/2 phosphatase, which performs this function on yeast AMPK/SNFl. AMPK could take over SNF1 function in glucose derepression. While indirectly acting anti-diabetic drugs had no effect on AMPK in yeast, compound 991 stimulated alpha 1-subunit phosphorylation. Our results demonstrate a remarkable functional conservation of AMPK and that glucose regulation of AMPK may not be mediated by regulatory features of a specific phosphatase. (C) 2014 Federation of European Biochemical Societies. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved