: any of various enzymes that catalyze the transfer of phosphate groups from a high-energy phosphate-containing molecule (such as ATP) to a substrate compare protein kinase
Examples of kinase in a Sentence
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At the heart of rapamycin’s power lies its ability to inhibit a protein called the target of rapamycin kinase, or TOR.
—
Ted Powers, The Conversation, 29 Sep. 2025
These cytokines travel through a pathway in the body known as the JAK-STAT pathway (short for Janus kinase–signal transducer and activator of transcription).
—Emily Kay Votruba, EverydayHealth.com, 1 Aug. 2025
As Pfeffer and colleagues explain, around a quarter of all cases are caused by genetic mutations, with one of the most common being one that increases the activity of an enzyme called leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2).
—Ian Randall, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 July 2025
The researchers found that sound expanded the size of the sites where cells attached to surrounding tissues, most likely by activating an enzyme called focal adhesion kinase (FAK), which senses mechanical forces and helps to guide tissue development.
—Simon Makin, Scientific American, 30 June 2025
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Ted Powers, The Conversation, 29 Sep. 2025
These cytokines travel through a pathway in the body known as the JAK-STAT pathway (short for Janus kinase–signal transducer and activator of transcription).
—Emily Kay Votruba, EverydayHealth.com, 1 Aug. 2025
As Pfeffer and colleagues explain, around a quarter of all cases are caused by genetic mutations, with one of the most common being one that increases the activity of an enzyme called leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2).
—Ian Randall, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 July 2025
The researchers found that sound expanded the size of the sites where cells attached to surrounding tissues, most likely by activating an enzyme called focal adhesion kinase (FAK), which senses mechanical forces and helps to guide tissue development.
—Simon Makin, Scientific American, 30 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for kinase
Cite this Entry
“Kinase.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kinase. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
kinase
noun
ki·nase
ˈkī-ˌnās, -ˌnāz 
: any of various enzymes that catalyze the transfer of phosphate groups from a high-energy phosphate-containing molecule (as ATP or ADP) to a substrate
called also phosphokinase
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