Plural of kinase; enzymes that catalyze the transfer of phosphate groups from high-energy molecules to specific substrates.
From Greek 'kinesis' meaning movement or motion, plus the enzyme suffix '-ase'. Coined in biochemistry in the early 20th century as scientists discovered these enzymes' role in cellular energy transfer and signaling pathways.
Kinases are like cellular switches that turn biological processes on and off by adding phosphate groups to proteins. There are over 500 different kinases in the human body, and many cancer treatments work by targeting specific kinases that have gone haywire in tumor cells.
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