Diacylglycerol kinase

Diacylglycerol kinase (DGK, EC 2.7.1.107) is a lipid kinase that phosphorylates diacylglycerol (DAG) to generate phosphatidic acid (PA). DGK belongs to a well-conserved family of proteins found in diverse species, such as Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Drosophila melanogaster, Caenorhabditis elegans, mammals, plants, and bacteria (Merida et al. Biochem J 409:1-18, 2008). In eukaryotes, DGK can be activated in response to various stimuli, and its product PA is emerging as a novel lipid second messenger (Munnik, Trends Plant Sci 6:227-233, 2001; Testerink and Munnik, Trends Plant Sci 10:368-375, 2005). Despite similarities to the mammalian system, plant DGKs display several distinctive features.