Methylglyoxal Activates the Target of Rapamycin Complex 2-Protein Kinase C Signaling Pathway in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Abstract

Methylglyoxal is a typical 2-oxoaldehyde derived from glycolysis. We show here that methylglyoxal activates the Pkc1-Mpk1 mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase cascade in a target of rapamycin complex 2 (TORC2)-dependent manner in the budding yeastSaccharomyces cerevisiae. We demonstrate that TORC2 phosphorylates Pkc1 at Thr1125and Ser1143. Methylglyoxal enhanced the phosphorylation of Pkc1 at Ser1143, which transmitted the signal to the downstream Mpk1 MAP kinase cascade. We found that the phosphorylation status of Pkc1T1125affected the phosphorylation of Pkc1 at Ser1143, in addition to its protein levels. Methylglyoxal activated mammalian TORC2 signaling, which, in turn, phosphorylated Akt at Ser473. Our results suggest that methylglyoxal is a conserved initiator of TORC2 signaling among eukaryotes.