In: Biology
When cAMP stimulates PKA,
a) the regulatory and catalytic subunits combine and then phosphorylate proteins in the cell
b) the regulatory and catalytic subunits separate and the catalytic subunits then dephosphorylate proteins in the cell
c) the regulatory and catalytic subunits combine and then ubiquinate proteins in the cell
d) the regulatory and catalytic subunits separate and the catalytic subunits then phosphorylate proteins in the cell
In this context, when cAMP is in a high concentration, it will bind to the regulatory subunit of the PKA. Once this occurs, the regulatory subunit will separate from the catalytic subunit (conformation change), exposing the active site of the PKA. After this, PKA will be able to transfer a phosphate group from ATP to a serine residue on the target protein. SO, the correct answer is the regulatory and catalytic subunits separate and the catalytic subunits then phosphorylate proteins in the cell