Kinase

Phosphate

In chemistry and biochemistry, a kinase, alternatively known as a phosphotransferase, is a type of enzyme that transfers phosphate groups from high-energy donor molecules, such as ATP, to specific target molecules (substrates); the process is termed phosphorylation (An enzyme that removes phosphate groups from targets is known as a phosphatase.)

Types

One of the largest group of kinases are protein kinases, which act on and modify the activity of specific proteins. These are used extensively to transmit signals and control complex processes in cells. Up to 518 different kinases have been identified in humans. Their enormous diversity and role in signaling makes them attractive targets for drug design.

Various other kinases act on small molecules (lipids, carbohydrates, amino acids, nucleotides, and more), either for signaling or to prime them for biochemical reactions in metabolism. These are named after their substrates.

See also

Transferases: Phosphotransferases/kinases (EC 2.7)
2.7.1 - OH acceptor
Hexo- - Gluco- - Fructo- (Hepatic fructo-) - Galacto- - Phosphofructo- (1, 2) - Riboflavin - Shikimate - Thymidine - NAD+ - Glycerol - Pantothenate - Mevalonate - Pyruvate - Deoxycytidine - PFP - Diacylglycerol - Bruton's tyrosine - Phosphoinositide 3 (Class I PI 3, Class II PI 3) - Sphingosine
2.7.2 - COOH acceptor
Phosphoglycerate - Aspartate
2.7.3 - N acceptor
Creatine
2.7.4 - PO4 acceptor
Phosphomevalonate - Adenylate - Nucleoside-diphosphate
2.7.6 - P2O7
Ribose-phosphate diphosphokinase - Thiamine pyrophosphokinase
2.7.7 - nucleotidyl-
Integrase - PNPase - Polymerase - RNase PH - UDP-glucose pyrophosphorylase - Galactose-1-phosphate uridylyltransferase -Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase - RNA replicase - Reverse transcriptase (Telomerase) - Transposase
2.7.8 - other phos.
N-acetylglucosamine-1-phosphate transferase
2.7.10-11 - protein
Tyrosine - Serine/threonine-specific