Investigating the mechanism for AMP activation of the AMP-activated protein kinase cascade

AMPK (AMP-activated protein kinase) is activated allosterically by AMP and by phosphorylation of Thr172 within the catalytic alpha subunit. Here we show that mutations in the regulatory gamma subunit reduce allosteric activation of the kinase by AMP. In addition to its allosteric effect, AMP significantly reduces the dephosphorylation of Thr172 by PP (protein phosphatase)2Calpha. Moreover, a mutation in the gamma subunit almost completely abolishes the inhibitory effect of AMP on dephosphorylation. We were unable to detect any effect of AMP on Thr172 phosphorylation by either LKB1 or CaMKKbeta (Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase kinase beta) using recombinant preparations of the proteins. However, using…