Kinase
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In biochemistry, a kinase is a type of enzyme that transfers phosphate groups from high-energy donor molecules, such as ATP, to specified substrates or target molecules; the process is termed "phosphorylation". Generally, the purpose of phosphorylation is to "activate" or "energize" a molecule, increasing its energy so it is able to participate in a subsequent reaction with a negative free energy change. All kinases require a divalent metal ion such as Mg2+ or Mn2+ to be present, which stabilizes the high-energy bonds of the donor molecule and allows phosphorylation to occur.
There are many different types of kinases; each named for the target substrate. Some notable kinases are:
- Protein kinase (see there for more details);
- Janus kinase;
- Tyrosine kinase;
- Focal adhesion kinase;
- Creatine kinase;
- Pyruvate kinase;
- Hexokinase.