Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Definition
Phosphorylation is the process of adding a phosphate group to a molecule, often a protein or ADP. It plays a critical role in cellular processes like energy transfer and signal transduction.
5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test
Phosphorylation is essential for ATP production during cellular respiration.
Kinases are enzymes that catalyze phosphorylation reactions.
Oxidative phosphorylation occurs in the mitochondria and generates most of the cell's ATP.
Substrate-level phosphorylation directly transfers a phosphate group to ADP to form ATP without an electron transport chain.
Phosphorylation can activate or deactivate proteins, altering their function and activity.
Review Questions
Related terms
ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate): The primary energy carrier in cells, formed through processes like oxidative and substrate-level phosphorylation
Kinase: An enzyme that catalyzes the transfer of phosphate groups to specific substrates, often regulating their activity
Electron Transport Chain: A series of protein complexes in the inner mitochondrial membrane involved in oxidative phosphorylation and ATP synthesis