kinase
n. countablen. 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.
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.
From Ancient Greek κινέω (kinéō, “to move”) + -ase, a suffix forming enzyme names.
Commonly used in biochemistry and molecular biology; often named after the specific substrate it modifies.