Phosphorylation is an important covalent post-translational modification (PTM) in cell signalling pathways. Protein phosphorylation is the reversible addition of a phosphate group to a protein or small molecule catalysed by protein kinases. Approximately one third of the 30,000 proteins encoded by the human genome contain covalently bound phosphate. The 'average' protein kinase can add phosphates to 20 different proteins and the 'average' protein phosphatase removes phosphate from 60 different proteins.
Thirty percent of drug discovery programs and R&D investment by the pharmaceutical industry targets protein kinases. Only recently did the research community fully appreciate protein phosphorylation, adopting that protein kinases and protein phosphatases represented valid drug targets. Up to sixty kinase inhibitors have undergone clinical evaluation against cancers, inflammation, diabetes and neurodegenerative diseases.
An exceptional efficient chemistry for phosphopeptide enrichment