Stress-induced GSK3 regulates the redox stress response by phosphorylating glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase in Arabidopsis

Sylvia Dal Santo (1) , Hansjörg Stampfl (1) , Julia Krasensky (1) , Stefan Kempa (1) , Yves Y. Gibon (2) , Elena Petutschnig (1) , Wilfried Rozhon (1) , Alexander Heuck (3) , Tim Clausen (3) , Claudia Jonak (1)

1 GMI - Gregor Mendel Institute of Molecular Plant Biology
2 BFP - Biologie du fruit et pathologie
3 IMP - Research Institute of Molecular Pathology

Diverse stresses such as high salt conditions cause an increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS), necessitating a redox stress response. However, little is known about the signaling pathways that regulate the antioxidant system to counteract oxidative stress. Here, we show that a Glycogen Synthase Kinase3 from Arabidopsis thaliana (ASK alpha) regulates stress tolerance by activating Glc-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD), which is essential for maintaining the cellular redox balance. Loss of stress-activated ASK alpha leads to reduced G6PD activity, elevated levels of ROS, and enhanced sensitivity to salt stress. Conversely, plants overexpressing ASK alpha have increased G6PD activity and low levels of ROS in response to stress and are more tolerant to salt stress. ASK alpha stimulates the activity of a specific cytosolic G6PD isoform by phosphorylating the evolutionarily conserved Thr-467, which is implicated in cosubstrate binding. Our results reveal a novel mechanism of G6PD adaptive regulation that is critical for the cellular stress response.

Domaines: Biologie végétale

Sylvia Dal Santo, Hansjörg Stampfl, Julia Krasensky, Stefan Kempa, Yves Y. Gibon, et al.. Stress-induced GSK3 regulates the redox stress response by phosphorylating glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase in Arabidopsis. The Plant cell, 2012, 24 (8), pp.3380-3392. ⟨10.1105/tpc.112.101279⟩. ⟨hal-02647870⟩