Mutation of the PRL1 gene, encoding a regulatory WD protein, results in glu
cose hypersensitivity and derepression of glucose-regulated genes in Arabid
opsis, The yeast SNF1 protein kinase, a key regulator of glucose signaling,
and Arabidopsis SNF1 homologs AKIN10 and AKIN11, which can complement the
Delta snf1 mutation, were found to interact with an N-terminal domain of th
e PRL1 protein in the two-hybrid system and in vitro. AKIN10 and AKIN11 sup
press the yeast Delta snf4 mutation and interact with the SNF4p-activating
subunit of SNF1. PRL1 and SNF4 bind independently to adjacent C-terminal do
mains of AKTN10 and AKIN11, and these protein interactions are negatively r
egulated by glucose in yeast. AKIN10 and AKIN11, purified in fusion with gl
utathione S-transferase, undergo autophosphorylation and phosphorylate a pe
ptide of sucrose phosphate synthase in vitro, The sucrose phosphate synthas
e-peptide kinase activity of AKIN complexes detected by immunoprecipitation
is stimulated by sucrose in light-grown Arabidopsis plants, In comparison
with wild type, the activation level of AKIN immunocomplexes is higher in t
he prl1 mutant, suggesting that PRL1 is a negative regulator of Arabidopsis
SNF1 homologs, This conclusion is supported by the observation that PRL1 i
s an inhibitor of AKIN10 and AKIN11 in vitro.