Protein kinase C (PKC) is a family of serine- and threonine-specific protein kinases that can be activated by calcium and second messenger diacylglycerol. PKC family members phosphorylate a wide variety of protein targets and are known to be involved in diverse cellular signaling pathways. PKC gamma is a neuron-specific member of the classical PKCs and is activated and translocated to subcellular regions as a result of various stimuli,including diacylglycerol synthesis,increased intracellular Ca(2+) and phorbol esters. Defects in this protein have been associated with spinocerebellar ataxia type 14 (SCA14),an autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disease.