What does phosphorylate mean?
Phosphorylate means to add a phosphate group to a molecule. The term is especially important in molecular biology, where protein kinases transfer phosphate groups from molecules such as ATP to proteins or other substrates. This modification can alter a molecule’s shape, stability, activity, or interactions, making phosphorylation a major mechanism for regulating cellular processes. It can also refer to adding phosphate to compounds outside living systems, including in chemical research and industrial synthesis. Although “phosphorylate” is related to the familiar verb “phosphate,” it is more precise: it names a chemical transformation rather than merely the general presence or treatment of a substance with phosphate. The related noun is “phosphorylation,” and the corresponding removal of a phosphate group is known as “dephosphorylation.”
verbTo introduce a phosphate group into a molecule, especially by attaching it to an organic compound. In biochemistry, it often refers to the enzyme-catalyzed transfer of a phosphate group from a donor such as ATP to a substrate.
- To introduce a phosphate group into a molecule.
- To attach a phosphate group to a biological molecule, especially through enzyme-catalyzed phosphorylation.
"The kinase phosphorylates the target protein, changing its activity."
"Cells phosphorylate molecules to regulate enzymes and other cellular processes."
"The compound was phosphorylated in the laboratory before being analyzed."
Phosphorylation is a molecular switch: adding a phosphate group can instantly change how a protein behaves.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does phosphorylate come from?
The verb combines “phosphorus” with the suffix “-ate,” following a pattern of English verbs formed from chemical elements and compounds. The element name phosphorus comes from Greek phōs, meaning “light,” and phoros, meaning “bearing,” a reference to the element’s characteristic glow. The chemical terminology developed from the same root that produced phosphate, phosphoric, phosphide, and related words.
Related word forms
How phosphorylate is actually used
This is a specialized technical term used chiefly in chemistry and molecular biology. It describes the addition of a phosphate group, not merely the presence of phosphorus in a substance.