Structure and expression of a gene from Arabidopsis thaliana encoding a protein related to SNF1 protein kinase

Abstract The AKin10 gene from Arabidopsis thaliana encoding a putative Ser/Thr protein kinase (PK) has been isolated and characterized. The AKin10-encoding gene is located on a genomic 5.4-kb Bam HI fragment and contains ten introns, one being located in the 5' untranslated region. The deduced amino acid sequence of AKin10 is 65% identical over the catalytic domain to the yeast PK (SNF1). SNF1 is essential for the derepression of many glucose-repressible genes, including Suc2 which encodes invertase. Southern blot hybridization experiments suggested the presence of one copy of the gene per haploid genome of A. thaliana . Northern hybridization experiments indicated that this gene is expressed in roots, shoots and leaves. AKin10 may play an important role in a signal transduction cascade regulating gene expression and carbohydrate metabolism in higher plants.