The substrate and sequence specificity of the AMP-activated protein kinase. Phosphorylation of glycogen synthase and phosphorylase kinase.

In addition to acetyl-CoA carboxylase and HMG-CoA reductase, the AMP-activated protein kinase phosphorylates glycogen synthase, phosphorylase kinase, hormone-sensitive lipase and casein. A number of other substrates for the cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase, e.g., L-pyruvate kinase and 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase/fructose-2,6-bisphosphatase, are not phosphorylated at significant rates. Examination of the sites phosphorylated on acetyl-CoA carboxylase, hormone-sensitive lipase, glycogen synthase and phosphorylase kinase suggests a consensus recognition sequence in which the serine residue phosphorylated by the AMP-activated protein kinase has a hydrophobic residue on the N-terminal side (i.e., at -1) and at least one arginine residue at -2, -3 or -4. Substrates for cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase which lack the hydrophobic residue at -1 are not substrates for the AMP-activated protein kinase.