In general, the purpose of phosphorylation is to "activate" or "energize" a molecule, increasing its energy so it is able to participate in a subsequent reaction with a negative Free-energy change. All kinases require a divalent Metal Ion such as Mg2+ or Mn2+ to be present, which stabilizes the high-energy bonds of the donor molecule (Usually ATP or ATP Derivitave) and allows phosphorylation to occur.
The largest group of kinases are Protein Kinase s, which act on and modify the activity of specific proteins. These are used extensively to transmit signals and control complex processes in cells. Various other kinases act on small molecules (lipids, carbohydrates, aminio acids, nucleotides, and more), either for signaling or to prime them for biochemical reactions in metabolism. These are named after their substrates and include:
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