GUANOSINE TRIPHOSPHATASE Meaning and
Definition
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Guanosine triphosphatase (GTPase) is a biochemical enzyme that acts as a molecular switch, catalyzing the hydrolysis of guanosine triphosphate (GTP) to guanosine diphosphate (GDP) and inorganic phosphate (Pi). This enzymatic activity is crucial for regulating various cellular processes, such as signal transduction, protein synthesis, cytoskeleton rearrangement, cell division, and membrane trafficking.
GTPases are classified into several families based on their structural and functional similarities. Some prominent examples include the Ras, Rho, Rab, and Gα subunits of G proteins. These GTPases play major roles in coordinating intracellular signaling pathways, where they act as molecular timers, turning specific cellular processes "on" or "off" based on GTP hydrolysis.
The mechanism of GTP hydrolysis in GTPases involves the nucleophilic attack of a water molecule on the γ-phosphate of GTP, leading to the formation of GDP. This reaction is facilitated by the GTPase's catalytic domain, which includes conserved amino acid residues that help stabilize the transition state. Additional regulatory factors, such as guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs) and GTPase-activating proteins (GAPs), modulate the activity of GTPases by assisting in nucleotide exchange and accelerating GTP hydrolysis, respectively.
Overall, guanosine triphosphatases are essential components of cellular machinery, ensuring accurate and timely cellular responses to environmental cues and maintaining overall cellular homeostasis. Dysfunction of GTPases is associated with a variety of diseases, including cancer, neurodegenerative disorders, and developmental abnormalities, highlighting their significance in human health and disease.
Common Misspellings for GUANOSINE TRIPHOSPHATASE
- fuanosine triphosphatase
- vuanosine triphosphatase
- buanosine triphosphatase
- huanosine triphosphatase
- yuanosine triphosphatase
- tuanosine triphosphatase
- gyanosine triphosphatase
- ghanosine triphosphatase
- gjanosine triphosphatase
- gianosine triphosphatase
- g8anosine triphosphatase
- g7anosine triphosphatase
- guznosine triphosphatase
- gusnosine triphosphatase
- guwnosine triphosphatase
- guqnosine triphosphatase
- guabosine triphosphatase
- guamosine triphosphatase
- guajosine triphosphatase
- guahosine triphosphatase
Etymology of GUANOSINE TRIPHOSPHATASE
The word "guanosine triphosphatase" is composed of several components with distinct origins and meanings.
1. Guanosine: The term "guanosine" comes from the nucleoside guanine, which is one of the four bases that make up DNA and RNA. Guanine itself is derived from the Latinized form of "guano", meaning bird droppings, as guanine was originally isolated from the excrement of seabirds.
2. Triphosphatase: "Triphosphatase" is a compound term. The root "phosphatase" refers to an enzyme that removes a phosphate group from a molecule. It is derived from the word "phosphate", which comes from the Greek "phosphoros", meaning "light-bringing" or "light-bearing".
