How to switch on a master switch

Sucrose nonfermenting-1-related protein kinase (SnRK1) is a key regulator of metabolism in plants, with wide-ranging effects on carbon and nitrogen metabolism and the interplay between metabolic, stress signalling and developmental signalling. Modulating its activity either genetically or chemically has become a target for improving crop performance, making the identification of chemicals that affect SnRK1 activity extremely important. In their study, Hu et al. (2024) investigated the effect of compound 991, a cyclic benzimidazole derivative and direct activator of SnRK1’s mammalian counterpart, AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK). They showed not only that addition of the compound increased SnRK1 activity in extracts from germinating rice seeds but that it promoted germination at low concentrations. Moreover, they discovered that the phosphopeptides induced by compound 991 treatment overlapped with those induced by OsSnRK1α overexpression.