Vidhya Basak, UWM graduate student, will present a talk about her work entitled, “A New Level of Eukaryotic AMPK Regulation: Lessons From Yeast.”

The abstract is as follows:

In the Kuchin lab, we focus on understanding the mechanisms by which eukaryotes respond to energy stress. Being able to respond to energy stress is quintessential for maintaining energy homeostasis. The AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is the master regulator of energy homeostasis in eukaryotes from yeast to humans. Mammalian AMPK has been implicated in diseases from diabetes to cancer. AMPK of baker’s yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) serves as an important model to understand eukaryotic AMPK signaling. Yeast AMPK responds to stresses caused by glucose/energy limitation and promotes utilization of alternative carbon sources. Like mammalian AMPK, yeast AMPK is a heterotrimeric complex. It is composed of the catalytic α subunit (Snf1), one of three alternative targeting/scaffolding β subunits (Sip1, Sip2, or Gal83), and a regulatory γ subunit (Snf4). When energy levels drop, yeast AMPK is known to be upregulated by two main mechanisms: 1) catalytic activation by phosphorylation of Thr210 of Snf1; 2) Gal83-dependent nuclear enrichment of the activated yeast AMPK complex. Here, we present evidence for a new level of AMPK regulation. Thus far, the AMPK complex has been assumed to assemble “by itself”. Our results suggest that yeast AMPK undergoes facilitated assembly aided by two paralogous WD40 repeat proteins. Our findings may have implications for AMPK regulation in other eukaryotes and inform research in human metabolic disease, fungal pathogenesis, and yeast biotechnology.

The presentation will begin at 4:00 PM in Lapham Hall N101, preceded by an informal reception from 3:45 – 4:00PM.