Skip to main content

Autophosphorylation

Meaning

Autophosphorylation is a fundamental biochemical process where a protein kinase enzyme catalyzes the addition of a phosphate group to one of its own amino acid residues. This self-catalyzed reaction is a critical, self-regulatory mechanism within the cell, frequently serving as a key initial step in activating or deactivating the enzyme’s catalytic function. It represents a cornerstone principle of signal transduction, allowing the enzyme to amplify or propagate cellular responses to external hormonal or growth factor stimuli. This is a rapid, intrinsic method of signal initiation.