Issue 1, 2012

Role of an intrinsically disordered conformation in AMPK-mediated phosphorylation of ULK1 and regulation of autophagy

Abstract

Recently, it has been established that there is a direct link between adenosine monophosphate activated protein kinase (AMPK), which is an energy sensor and is activated by glucose starvation, and Unc-51-like kinase 1 (ULK1) in triggering autophagy. Proper phosphorylation of ULK1 is crucial for ULK1/AMPK association and subsequent ULK1 functions in response to nutrient deprivation. Signaling modulated viaphosphorylation often involves a flexible/unstructured or an intrinsically disordered (ID) region of proteins. Structural analyses of the ULK1 protein suggest that most of its functionally important phosphorylation sites are located in an ID region. We propose that this ID nature facilitates AMPK-mediated phosphorylation of ULK1, which may provide a mechanism for ULK1 functions in response to nutrient deprivation. Understanding how an ID region of ULK1 modulates its post-translational modifications through AMPK in regulating allosteric coupling will significantly help in defining the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in ULK1/AMPK functions and in regulation of autophagy.

Graphical abstract: Role of an intrinsically disordered conformation in AMPK-mediated phosphorylation of ULK1 and regulation of autophagy

Article information

Article type
Review Article
Submitted
26 Jun 2011
Accepted
27 Jul 2011
First published
18 Aug 2011

Mol. BioSyst., 2012,8, 91-96

Role of an intrinsically disordered conformation in AMPK-mediated phosphorylation of ULK1 and regulation of autophagy

S. H. Khan and R. Kumar, Mol. BioSyst., 2012, 8, 91 DOI: 10.1039/C1MB05265A

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