kinase
Meaning of kinase: A kinase is an enzyme that adds a phosphate group to another molecule, a reaction central to cell signaling, metabolism, and growth.
Definition of kinase
A kinase is a type of enzyme that transfers a phosphate group from a molecule called ATP onto another molecule, a chemical reaction known as phosphorylation. This modification can switch a target molecule on or off, or otherwise change how it behaves within the cell.
Kinases act on many different targets, including proteins, sugars, and lipids, and they play a central role in the pathways that regulate cell growth, division, metabolism, and communication between cells. Because phosphorylation can rapidly turn a process on or off, kinases act as important control points within these pathways.
Mutations or other changes that cause certain kinases to become overactive are linked to the development of some cancers, since these kinases can push cells to grow and divide when they normally should not, which is why some cancer treatments are designed to specifically block the activity of a particular kinase.
Used in a sentence
The tumor was tested for a kinase mutation to determine whether a targeted therapy might be appropriate.
Good to know
A kinase inhibitor used in cancer treatment is generally designed to block one specific kinase or a small group of related kinases, so its effect depends on whether that particular kinase is actually driving the cancer being treated.
Word origin
Where “kinase” comes from
Formed from Greek kinein, meaning to move.