Disease relevance of SNF1A

• The Drosophila kinase (DmAMPK) was activated by AMP in cell-free assays (albeit to a smaller extent than mammalian AMPK), and by stresses that deplete ATP (oligomycin and hypoxia), as well as by carbohydrate deprivation, in intact cells [1].

High impact information on SNF1A

• Although Drosophila cannot synthesize cholesterol de novo, the regulatory role of fly AMPK on HMG-CoA reductase is conserved [2].
• Here, we investigate the involvement of AMPK in the regulation of epithelial tight junction assembly and cell polarization in MDCK cells [3].
• AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is a serine/threonine protein kinase that plays an important role in maintaining cellular energy balance [3].
• We show that the level of AMPK phosphorylation increases during calcium-induced tight junction assembly and cell polarization and that this increase depends on the kinase activity of LKB1 [3].
• We have identified single genes encoding homologues of the alpha, beta and gamma subunits of mammalian AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) in the genome of Drosophila melanogaster [1].

Analytical, diagnostic and therapeutic context of SNF1A

• By immunofluorescence microscopy of oligomycin-treated Dmel2 cells using the phosphospecific antibody, the phosphorylated DmAMPK alpha subunit was mainly detected in the nucleus [1].

References