kinase

kinase — noun

1. a type of protein found inside living cells that speeds up the chemical reaction

1.nounC1
Definition

a type of protein found inside living cells that speeds up the chemical reaction of moving a phosphate group from one molecule (especially ATP) to another molecule, which is a key step in processes such as cell signaling and metabolism

Example

The biology textbook explained that a kinase adds a phosphate group to a protein to turn it on or off.

kinase + that-clause for explaining function

Élise's lab team discovered a new kinase that controls how quickly skin cells multiply.

relative clause: kinase that controls [process]

Common collocations
  • protein kinase
  • kinase activity
  • kinase inhibitor
  • kinase pathway
  • kinase domain
  • receptor tyrosine kinase
  • kinase signalling
Synonyms
  • enzyme

    much broader category; all kinases are enzymes, but most enzymes are not kinases

  • phosphotransferase

    more technical term rarely used outside specialist biochemistry; kinase is the everyday scientific term

Antonyms
  • phosphatase

    an enzyme that removes phosphate groups, performing the opposite chemical reaction

Usage Note

Most often encountered in academic biology, medical research, and pharmacology contexts. The process a kinase performs is called phosphorylation. To remember the function, note that the name comes from 'kinetic' (movement) — a kinase moves a phosphate group from one molecule to another.

Common Mistakes

The enzyme removes a phosphate group, so it is called a kinase.
The enzyme removes a phosphate group, so it is called a phosphatase.
Kinases add phosphate groups; phosphatases remove them.

Word family

  • phosphorylate
    verbC1
  • phosphorylation
    nounC1
  • phosphatase
    nounC1
  • protein kinase
    nounC1

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • kinase signalling pathway
  • kinase inhibitor drug
  • tyrosine kinase activity

Etymology

GreekEnglish

The word kinase comes from the Greek 'kinein' (to move, to set in motion), combined with '-ase', the standard suffix used for enzymes. The name was chosen because these enzymes catalyze the movement of a phosphate group from one molecule to another. The term was first used in the early 20th century as more was discovered about how cells regulate their internal chemistry.