Functional Insights into Protein Kinase A (PKA) Signaling from C. elegans

Protein kinase A (PKA), which regulates a diverse set of biological functions downstream of cyclic AMP (cAMP), is a tetramer consisting of two catalytic subunits (PKA-C) and two regulatory subunits (PKA-R). When cAMP binds the PKA-R subunits, the PKA-C subunits are released and interact with downstream effectors. In ( ), PKA-C and PKA-R are encoded by and respectively. This review focuses on the contributions of work in to our understanding of the many roles of PKA, including contractility and oocyte maturation in the reproductive system, lipid metabolism, physiology, mitochondrial function and lifespan, and a wide variety of behaviors. provides a powerful genetic platform for understanding how this kinase can regulate an astounding variety of physiological responses.