Roles of Cyclic Nucleotide Phosphodiesterases in Signal Transduction Pathways in the Nematode Caenorhabditis elegans

Cyclic nucleotide signaling pathways play essential roles in the physiology of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, influencing processes such as reproduction, environmental sensing, and cellular homeostasis. The intracellular levels of cAMP and cGMP are tightly regulated by their synthesis by adenylyl and guanylyl cyclases and their degradation catalyzed by 3',5'-cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterases (PDEs). Mammals possess eleven PDE families (PDE1 through PDE11), whereas nematode genomes contain six PDE genes orthologous to six of the mammalian PDE families. Despite their evolutionary conservation, the signaling pathways, regulatory mechanisms, and enzymatic properties of nematode PDEs remain incompletely understood. This review synthesizes current knowledge on the regulation of cyclic nucleotide levels in C. elegans, highlighting how dysregulation of nematode PDEs affects a wide range of physiological and behavioral processes, including sensory transduction, development, and locomotion.