Question

Phosphorylation:
a) Describe the process
b) Why does it change the function of a molecule?
c) Why is it so commonly used in signal transduction mechanisms?

Answer 1

Ans (a) - phosphorylation is simply the attachment of phosphoryl group to a molecule to prvide energy to it.

Phosphorylation are of many types such as oxidative phosphorylation and protein phosphorylation etc. In oxidative phosphorylation formation of ATP occurs from ADP and Pi.

(b) phosphorylation can do both stimulation amd inhibition of a molecule's function. Trasnfer of kinase to the molecule provide energy to it thus changing its conformation and function.

(C) it is commonly used in mechnism of signal transduction beacuse it can change the shape of proteins thus allowing them to interact with new binding sites.

It can both directly change the enzymatic activity and can directly bind to another protein.