Term: phosphorylation
https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.PT06790

Definition:
A process (catalysed by enzymes) involving the transfer of a phosphate group from a donor to a suitable acceptor; in general, an ester linkage is formed, for example: ATP + alcoholADP + phosphate ester.

Related Terms:
1) enzymes (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.E02159).

Source: PAC, 1997, 69, 1251. 'Glossary of terms used in bioinorganic chemistry (IUPAC Recommendations 1997)' on page 1291 (https://doi.org/10.1351/pac199769061251)

Citation: 'phosphorylation' in IUPAC Compendium of Chemical Terminology, 5th ed. International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry; 2025. Online version 5.0.0, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.PT06790

License: The IUPAC Gold Book is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike CC BY-SA 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) for individual terms.

Disclaimer: The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) is continuously reviewing and, where needed, updating terms in the Compendium of Chemical Terminology (the IUPAC Gold Book). Users of these terms are encouraged to include the version of a term with its use and to check regularly for updates to term definitions that you are using.