SNF1-related protein kinases (SnRKs) - Regulators at the heart of the control of carbon metabolism and partitioning

This chapter discusses sucrose nonfermenting-1 (SNF1) and adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK)—global regulators of carbon metabolism in their respective systems. SNF1-related protein kinases (SnRKs) are a family of plant protein kinases with catalytic domains similar to that of SNF1) of yeast and AMPK of animals. The plant SnRK family comprises at least three subfamilies (SnRKs1, 2, and 3). Relatively little is known about the functions of SnRK2s and SnRK3s, but it is already clear that SnRK1s play an important role in the regulation of carbon metabolism and in the cross-talk between metabolic and other signaling pathways in plants. This role not only has some similarities with the roles of SNF1 and AMPK but also has some intriguing differences. The genetic modification of SnRK1 activity and function may be one way of improving this important trait in crop plants. © 2000, Elsevier Ltd