A protein–protein interaction network linking the energy-sensor kinase SnRK1 to multiple signaling pathways in Arabidopsis thaliana

In plants, the sucrose non-fermenting (SNF1)-related protein kinase 1 (SnRK1) represents a central integrator of low energy signaling and acclimation towards many environmental stress responses. Although SnRK1 acts as a convergent point for many different environmental and metabolic signals to control growth and development, it is currently unknown how these many different signals could be translated into a cell-type or stimulus specific response since many components of SnRK1-regulated signaling pathways remain unidentified. Recently, we have demonstrated that proteins containing a domain of unknown function (DUF) 581 interact with the catalytic α subunits of SnRK1 (AKIN10/11) from Arabidopsis thaliana and could potentially act as mediators conferring tissue- and stimulus-type specific differences in SnRK1 regulation. To further extend the SnRK1 signaling network in plants, we systematically screened for novel DUF581 interaction partners using the yeast two-hybrid system. A deep and exhaustive screening identified 17 interacting partners for 10 of the DUF581 proteins tested. Many of these novel interaction partners are implicated in cellular processes previously associated with SnRK1 signaling. Furthermore, we mined publicly available interaction data to identify additional DUF581 interacting proteins. A protein–protein interaction network resulting from our studies suggests connections between SnRK1 signaling and other central signaling pathways involved in growth regulation and environmental responses. These include TOR and MAP-kinase signaling as well as hormonal pathways. The resulting protein–protein interaction network promises to be effective in generating hypotheses to study the precise mechanisms SnRK1 signaling on a functional level.