phosphorylation

noun

phos·​phor·​y·​la·​tion ˌfäs-ˌfȯr-ə-ˈlā-shən 

: the process of phosphorylating a chemical compound either by reaction with inorganic phosphate or by transfer of phosphate from another organic phosphate

especially : the enzymatic conversion of carbohydrates into their phosphoric esters in metabolic processes

Examples of phosphorylation in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

As the cell’s clean-up crew attempts to remove the clumps, a leading theory suggests that the abnormal tau induces phosphorylation in additional proteins leading to a cascade of neurodegeneration. —William A. Haseltine, Forbes, 25 Oct. 2024

Tau phosphorylation is a crucial process related to the development of Alzheimer’s disease. —Lauren Manaker Ms, Rdn, Ld, Clec, Verywell Health, 17 Nov. 2023

The authors speculate that the changes at positions 203 and 204 increase phosphorylase affinity, leading to greater N protein phosphorylation, which is positively correlated to the efficiency of viral genome processing and nucleocapsid assembly. —William A. Haseltine, Forbes, 26 Apr. 2022

One of these enzymes, phosphoglucomutase 1 (PGM1), was activated through phosphorylation—the addition of phosphate chemical groups—in cavefish but not in surface fish. —Viviane Callier, Scientific American, 24 Feb. 2023

The researchers then focused on a specific phosphorylation site and created a mutation that prevented it from being phosphorylated. —Viviane Callier, Scientific American, 24 Feb. 2023

The effectiveness of the compound was determined by how well C53 could trigger phosphorylation, or activation, of STING proteins within the cell samples. —William A. Haseltine, Forbes, 26 Apr. 2022

In this experiment, Pryde et al. observed the phosphorylation of both STING and interferon regulatory factors across all the STING variants tested. —William A. Haseltine, Forbes, 26 Apr. 2022

One characteristic that sets the N protein apart from most others is that it is phosphorylated and the degree of phosphorylation can dramatically affect its function. —William A. Haseltine, Forbes, 26 Apr. 2022

Word History

First Known Use

1925, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing phosphorylation

• oxidative phosphorylation

Medical Definition

phosphorylation

noun

phos·​phor·​y·​la·​tion ˌfäs-ˌfȯr-ə-ˈlā-shən 

: the process of phosphorylating a chemical compound either by reaction with inorganic phosphate or by transfer of phosphate from another organic phosphate

especially : the enzymatic conversion of carbohydrates into their phosphoric esters in metabolic processes (as the conversion of glucose to glucose-6-phosphate by ATP and hexokinase)