New Insights into the Activation Mechanisms of AMPK

Abstract

The AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is a sensor of energy status in the cell. Upon activation in response to metabolic stresses, AMPK maintains cellular energy balance by promoting energy generating catabolic pathways and suppressing ATP-consuming anabolic processes.Historically, AMP, ADP-induced allosteric change accompanied by Thr 172 at a subunit considered as the major mechanism of AMPK activation. In the last decade, our understanding of the mechanism of AMPK activation has significantly advanced. Recently several studies have showed that, glucose starvation – major type of energetic stress activates AMPK independently of AMP or ADP levels in the cell and regardless of phosphorylation status of Thr 172 at a subunit. More in-
terestingly, small AMPK pools in the cellular compartments are regulated differently and distinctly targets downstream effectors.