Fig. 8.

Schematic diagram of proposed model for how AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) regulates Par polarity complex proteins. A: activation of AMPK leads to 1) Par3 translocation to the plasma membrane, 2) atypical protein complex Cζ (aPKCζ) translocation to the plasma membrane and phosphorylation either directly (2a) or via activation of GTP-bound Cdc42 (2b), and 3) afadin phosphorylation at S1102. B and C: phosphorylated afadin in turn interacts with zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1) to promote its localization to the nascent adherens junction (B), while activated aPKCζ phosphorylates afadin at S228 to promote the dissociation of afadin from ZO-1 such that ZO-1 may then translocate to the nascent tight junction (C).