Diacylglycerol (DAG) is an allosteric activator of protein kinase C. DAG also participates in regulating RAS and RHO family proteins by activating the guanine nucleotide exchange factors VAV and RASGRP1. DAG is also involved in the synthesis of phospholipids and triacylglycerols. Tight regulation of DAG levels is achieved via DAG kinases (DGKs), which remove DAG by phosphorylate it to phosphatidic acid.The predicted 882-amino acid human DGKQ (DGK-theta) protein is 90% identical in sequence to the rat homolog. DGK-theta is comprised of a pleckstrin homology domain and the conserved DGK putative catalytic domain. In contrast to other DGK isotypes, DGK-theta contains 3 rather than 2 cysteine-rich zinc-binding domains, an N-terminal proline- and glycine-rich region, and a RAS-associating domain. Highest tissue expression in the rat is in the brain. Defects in eye-specific DAGK genes cause retinal degeneration in Drosophila; thus, DAGK genes are candidates for human eye disease.

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