title: 5'-AMP-activated protein kinase signaling in Caenorhabditis elegans.
abstract: 5'-AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) has been called "the metabolic master switch" because of its central role in regulating fuel homeostasis. AMPK, a heterotrimeric serine/threonine protein kinase composed of alpha, beta, and gamma subunits, is activated by upstream kinases and by 5'-AMP in response to various nutritional and stress signals. Downstream effects include regulation of metabolism, protein synthesis, cell growth, and mediation of the actions of a number of hormones, including leptin. However, AMPK research represents a young and growing field; hence, there are many unanswered questions regarding the control and action of AMPK. This review presents evidence for the existence of AMPK signaling pathways in Caenorhabditis elegans, a genetically tractable model organism that has yet to be fully exploited to elucidate AMPK signaling mechanisms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, Texas 79430, USA. elmus.beale@ttuhsc.edu
authors.forename: Elmus G
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Beale
mesh_terms: D055372:AMP-Activated Protein Kinases; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000378:metabolism; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D023421:Models, Animal; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009097:Multienzyme Complexes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D021122:Protein Subunits / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D015398:Signal Transduction
chemical_list: D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D009097:Multienzyme Complexes; D021122:Protein Subunits; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D055372:AMP-Activated Protein Kinases