Phosphoprotein

File:Phosporylation of a serine residue, before and after shot.png

Serine in an amino acid chain, before and after phosphorylation.

A phosphoprotein is a protein that is posttranslationally modified by the attachment of either a single phosphate group, or a complex molecule such as 5'-phospho-DNA, through a phosphate group. The target amino acid is most often serine, threonine, or tyrosine residues (mostly in eukaryotes), or aspartic acid or histidine residues (mostly in prokaryotes).

Biological function

The phosphorylation of proteins is a major regulatory mechanism in cells.

Clinical significance

Phosphoproteins have been proposed as biomarkers for breast cancer.

See also

• Protein phosphorylation
• Phosphoserine

References

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