| Summary: | 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 <i>Caenorhabditis elegans</i> (<i>C. elegans</i>), PKA-C and PKA-R are encoded by <i>kin-1</i> and <i>kin-2,</i> respectively. This review focuses on the contributions of work in <i>C. elegans</i> 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. <i>C. elegans</i> provides a powerful genetic platform for understanding how this kinase can regulate an astounding variety of physiological responses.
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