kinase

American  

[kahy-neys, -neyz, kin-eys, -eyz] / ˈkaɪ neɪs, -neɪz, ˈkɪn eɪs, -eɪz /

noun

Biochemistry.

1. a transferase that catalyzes the phosphorylation of a substrate by ATP.

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kinase British  

/ ˈkɪn-, ˈkaɪneɪz /

noun

1. any enzyme that can convert an inactive zymogen to the corresponding enzyme

2. any enzyme that brings about the phosphorylation of a molecule

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kinase Scientific  

/ kī′nās′,-nāz′,kĭn′ās′,-āz′ /

1. Any of various enzymes that catalyze the transfer of a phosphate group from a donor, such as ADP or ATP, to an acceptor.

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Etymology

Origin of kinase

First recorded in 1900–05; kin(etic) + -ase

Example Sentences

Bexobrutideg, a BTK kinase degrader, works by destroying target proteins rather than simply turning them off.

From Barron's • Jun. 8, 2026

The drug, used to treat various blood cancers, like chronic lymphocytic leukemia, is Nurix’s investigational tyrosine kinase degrader that eliminates disease-causing proteins.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 8, 2026

JAK inhibitors are therapeutic agents that block Janus kinase enzymes to treat diseases.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 27, 2026

Both the Terns pill, code-named TERN-701, and Scemblix are second-generation versions of drugs that inhibit a growth promoter of cancer cells, called tyrosine kinase.

From Barron's • Dec. 9, 2025

The researchers found that betaine binds to and blocks TBK1, a kinase that drives inflammation.

From Science Daily • Nov. 13, 2025