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Glite Dictionary
hexokinase

hexokinase

1 9.5
A protein in cells that starts breaking down glucose to make energy
  • noun
  • /ˌhɛksoʊˈkaɪneɪs/
  • Specialized
: hexoquinasa
  • The hexokinase enzyme plays a vital role in breaking down glucose for energy in cells.

Examples

  • In addition, there's two more kinase reactions that exist here, hexokinase and phosphor fructokinase.

  • Now of course, you had it to also have an ATP from hexokinase to capture that glucose phosphate to begin with.

  • Without sufficient hexokinase, cells cannot effectively metabolize glucose to produce energy.

  • Scientists are exploring the mechanisms by which hexokinase facilitates the conversion of glucose into usable energy.

Surface Forms

hexokinase singular
hexokinases plural

Morphology

hexokinase = hexose + kinase (transparent) = hexo + kinase

The word is directly built from the notions 'hexose' (six-carbon sugar) + 'kinase' (a phosphorylating enzyme), so the meaning is compositional for those who know these technical bases.

Etymology

Hexokinase comes from two parts: hexo- meaning 'six' (as in hexagon) and -kinase related to 'movement' (as in kinetic). So hexokinase is an enzyme that starts the breakdown of a six-carbon sugar like glucose by adding a small chemical group, which begins the sugar's path to make energy.