Arabidopsis SNRK2.3 protein kinase is involved in the regulation of sulfur-responsive gene expression and O-acetyl-L-serine accumulation under limited sulfur supply

• Published in: Soil science and plant nutrition (Tokyo) Vol. 52; no. 2; pp. 211 - 220
• Main Authors: Kimura, T.(Tokyo Univ. (Japan)), Shibagaki, N, Ohkama Ohtsu, N, Hayashi, H, Yoneyama, T, Davies, J.P, Fujiwara, T
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Melbourne, Australia Taylor & Francis Group 01.04.2006; Blackwell Publishing Asia
• Subjects: ARABIDOPSIS THALIANA; AZUFRE; CARENCE EN SUBSTANCE NUTRITIVE; Chlamydomonas reinhardtii; DEFICIENCIAS NUTRITIVAS; EXPRESION GENICA; EXPRESSION DES GENES; GENE EXPRESSION; NUTRIENT DEFICIENCIES; PROTEIN KINASE; PROTEINA QUINASA; PROTEINE KINASE; SAC3; SERINA; SERINE; SNRK2; SOUFRE; sulfur; SULPHUR
• ISSN: 0038-0768; 1747-0765
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1747-0765.2006.00025.x

The role of the Arabidopsis thaliana genes SNRK2s, which are similar to the sulfur-regulatory gene SAC3 of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, in the response of plants to sulfur was studied. The Arabidopsis genome contains 10 genes (SNRK2.1 to SNRK2.10) similar to SAC3. Among these genes, transcript accumulation of several genes including SNRK2.3 was induced in response to sulfur starvation. Independently isolated transgenic A. thaliana lines carrying T-DNA insertions in SNRK2.3 exhibited reduced sulfur-starvation induction of the transcript of the sulfate transporter SULTR2;2 gene, whereas the accumulation of O-acetyl-L-serine under sulfur deficiency conditions increased. These results suggest that SNRK2.3 plays a beneficial role in the regulation of gene expression and metabolism in response to sulfur starvation.