Tyrosine Kinase

Post date: Sep 6, 2012 3:57:31 PM

An enzyme that transfers a phosphate group from ATP to a protein in a cell.

Tyrosine kinases function as on/off switches for many cellular functions.

Why call them Tyrosine Kinases?

The phosphate group is attached to the amino acid, Tyrosine, on the protein.

Kinase because the protein "moves" a phosphate group from ATP to the protein.

Kinase is from the Greek word, kinein, "to move".