phosphorylase Biochem.
(fɒsˈfɒrɪleɪz, -s, ˈfɒsfərɪleɪz, -s)
[f. prec. + -ase.]
An enzyme that introduces a phosphate group into an organic compound.
| 1939 G. T. Cori et al. in Jrnl. Biol. Chem. CXXVII. 771 Various mammalian tissues..contain an enzyme which can be extracted with water and which forms glucose-1-phosphoric ester..from glycogen and inorganic phosphate... This enzyme, which will be referred to as phosphorylase, initiates the degradation of glycogen. 1955 Sci. News Let. 7 May 297/1 Use of muscle to do work and its recovery depends upon the chemical action of an enzyme, phosphorylase, which is found in muscle. 1970 [see phosphorolysis]. 1971 Nature 19 Feb. 529/1 The breakdown of glycogen, in accordance with instantaneous energy requirements, is controlled by the activity of glycogen phosphorylase. This enzyme exists in two states: phosphorylase b..is a form of low concentration... Under the action of phosphorylase kinase it is phosphorylated at one serine residue in each of the four subunits, to give the highly active phosphorylase a. |