Question

What does phosphorylation do to a protein?

Answer 1

Protein phosphorylation is the major molecular mechanism through which protein function is regulated in response to stimuli.

Explanation:

Phosphorylation alters the structural confirmation of a protein, causing it to become activated ,deactivated or modifying it.

Phosphorylation introduces a charged and hydrophilic group in the side chain of an amino acid, possibly changing a proteins structure by altering interactions with nearby amino acids. Proteins may contain multiple phosphorylation sites, facilitating complex multilevel regulation. Because of the ease with which protein can be phosphorylated and dephosphorylated, this type of modification is a flexible mechanism for cells to respond to external signals and environmental conditions.

Phosphorylation often regulates:

1) biological thermodynamics
2) protein degradation
3) enzyme activation and deactivation
4)protein - protein interaction.

Virtually all types of extra cellular signals, including neurotransmitters, hormones, light neurotrophic factors and cytokines produce most of their diverse physiological effects by regulating phosphorylation of specific phospho proteins in their target cells. Almost every class of neuronal protein is regulated by phosphorylation.