Final answer:
The phosphorylation of threonine can alter the protein's structure by attracting positively charged amino acids like lysine, potentially impacting the protein's function.
Step-by-step explanation:
The phosphorylation of the amino acid threonine introduces a negatively charged phosphate group which can alter the protein conformation by attracting positively charged groups on nearby amino acids. In this case, lysine, being a basic amino acid with a positively charged side chain, is most likely to be attracted to the negatively charged phosphate group added to threonine. This interaction can lead to a change in the protein's structure, potentially affecting its function.