Final answer:
Alpha-kinase adds phosphate groups to specific proteins in a process known as phosphorylation, which can activate or deactivate these proteins, affecting cellular processes.
Step-by-step explanation:
The enzyme alpha-kinase adds phosphate groups to specific proteins within the cell. This process is known as phosphorylation. In phosphorylation, a phosphate group from ATP is transferred to a substrate molecule, typically to the amino acids serine, threonine, or tyrosine within the substrate protein.
This modification can change the structural orientation of the protein, thereby activating or deactivating it, depending on the context. The activation of these molecules enables them to mediate changes in various cellular processes. Alpha-kinase, often referred to as A-kinase, is activated by the second messenger cAMP (cyclic AMP) and is known to regulate various vital metabolic pathways.