Word
kinase
Phoneticski·nase
US/ˈkaɪˌneɪz/
UK/kˈɪneɪs/
Definition
n. a special protein in your body that acts like a switch to turn other proteins on or off. It does this by adding a tiny chemical group called a phosphate to them.
n. an enzyme that catalyses the transfer of a phosphate group from a high-energy donor molecule, such as ATP, to a specific substrate. This process, known as phosphorylation, is a fundamental mechanism for regulating protein activity and cell signalling.
Examples
“The kinase helps the cell respond to new signals.”
“Researchers are developing new drugs that block a specific kinase to stop cancer cells from growing.”
“By phosphorylating target proteins, the kinase acts as a critical molecular switch within the signalling pathway, effectively modulating the cell's metabolic response to external stimuli.”
Examples
simple
“The kinase helps the cell respond to new signals.”
contextual
“Researchers are developing new drugs that block a specific kinase to stop cancer cells from growing.”
complex
“By phosphorylating target proteins, the kinase acts as a critical molecular switch within the signalling pathway, effectively modulating the cell's metabolic response to external stimuli.”
Usage
Commonly used in biochemistry and molecular biology; often named after the specific substrate it modifies.
Real-World Examples
“Thymidine kinase (TK) is a small enzyme that helps a bacterium recycle the chemical building blocks it needs to copy and repair its DNA.” “Several Atg proteins combine to form a pre-autophagosomal structure (PAS), which expands into the isolation membrane mediated by Atg1, a protein kinase.” Etymology
From Ancient Greek κινέω (kinéō, “to move”) + -ase, a suffix forming enzyme names.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.