Diacylglycerol kinases (DGKs) phosphorylate diacylglycerol (DAG) to produce phosphatidic acid. DAG and phosphatidic acid are lipids that act as second messengers in signaling cascades. DGK-alpha influences cell activation and secretion of lethal exosomes, which in turn control cell death. DGK-beta is abundant in restricted brain regions such as the caudate putamen and olfactory tubercle. DGK-gamma encodes full-length and truncated transcripts that are present in a range of human tissues, with greatest expression observed in retina.