In response to a shortage of intracellular energy, mammalian cells reduce energy consumption and induce cell cycle arrest, both of which contribute to cell survival. Here we report that a novel nucleolar pathway involving the energy-dependent nucleolar silencing complex (eNoSC) and Myb-binding protein 1a (MYBBP1A) is implicated in these processes. Namely, in response to glucose starvation, eNoSC suppresses rRNA transcription, which results in a reduction in nucleolar RNA content. As a consequence, MYBBP1A, which is anchored to the nucleolus via RNA, translocates from the nucleolus to the nucleoplasm. The translocated MYBBP1A induces acetylation and accumulation of p53 by enhancing the interaction between p300 and p53, which eventually leads to the cell cycle arrest (or apoptosis). Taken together, our results indicate that the nucleolus works as a sensor that transduces the intracellular energy status into the cell cycle machinery.Intracellular energy balance is important for cell survival. In response to nutrient or environmental stresses that cause reduction in the intracellular energy level, mammalian cells sense the intrinsic energy status and attempt to restore bioenergetic homeostasis through compensatory changes in the regulation of intermediate metabolic processes. One such mechanism is the reduction of ribosome biosynthesis, a major biosynthetic and energy-consuming process in mammalian cells, whereas the other mechanism is the arrest of cell proliferation. The LKB1-AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) 3 pathway is reportedly involved in both regulatory processes (1-5). During energy starvation or glucose deprivation, when the cellular AMP/ATP ratio is increased, the LKB1-AMPK pathway is activated. This signaling in turn inhibits the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR)/p70 S6 kinase activity that is required for rapid and sustained serum-induced ribosomal biosynthesis (2). In addition to this regulation, AMPK, which is reportedly activated in response to reduced energy level, phosphorylates and activates p53, which leads to G 1 cell cycle arrest (6). Inhibition of mTOR by AMPK and G 1 cell cycle arrest by AMPK via p53 activation suppresses energy expenditure and protects cells from energy deprivation-induced apoptosis (4, 5).On the other hand, a recent study in our laboratory revealed that glucose deprivation also reduces rRNA synthesis, which leads to down-regulation of ribosome biosynthesis in HeLa cells lacking the LKB1-AMPK pathway (7). We found that a novel nucleolar protein, nucleomethylin (NML), forms an energy-dependent nucleolar silencing complex (eNoSC) with SIRT1 and SUV39H1 and functions in this process. Our results suggest that an energy-dependent change in the NAD Ď© /NADH ratio regulates eNoSC, allowing the complex to couple the changing energy status with the level of rRNA transcription by regulating the epigenetic status of rRNA clusters. eNoSC promotes the restoration of energy balance and protects cells from energy deprivation-induced apoptosis (7).With regard to p53 activation, several...