Diacylglycerol kinase iota (DGKI) is a member of the type IV diacylglycerol kinase subfamily. Diacylglycerol kinases regulate the intracellular concentration of diacylglycerol by phosphorylating, producing phosphatidic acid (PA). PA can regulate some signaling proteins, including protein kinases and phosphatases, and can mediate growth factors to induce mitosis of cells. The Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway is an important pathway for extracellular signals regulating cell mitosis, and Raf protein transfer from the cytoplasm to the membrane and activation by Ras or other kinases are key steps in the activation of this signaling pathway. Raf can directly bind to PA, so an increase in PA content promotes the translocation of the Raf protein to the cell membrane and activates the MAPK signaling pathway. Diacylglycerol kinase iota (DGKI) is overexpressed in a variety of cancers and is associated with poor prognosis in colon cancer.

>70% as determined by SDS-PAGE.