Arabidopsis eIF2alpha kinase GCN2 is essential for growth in stress conditions and is activated by wounding.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Phosphorylation of eIF2alpha provides a key mechanism for down-regulating protein synthesis in response to nutrient starvation or stresses in mammalian and yeast cells. However, this process has not been well characterized in plants

Results

We show here that in response to amino acid and purine starvations, UV, cold shock and wounding, the Arabidopsis GCN2 kinase (AtGCN2) is activated and phosphorylates eIF2alpha. We show that AtGCN2 is essential for plant growth in stress situations and that its activity results in a strong reduction in global protein synthesis.

Conclusion

Our results suggest that a general amino acid control response is conserved between yeast and plants but that the plant enzyme evolved to fulfill a more general function as an upstream s

SUBMITTER: Lageix S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2639386 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature