Consider the following list of phosphorylated compounds with their free energies of phosphate hydrolysis:
Glucose-1-phosphate: -5.0 kcal/mol
PEP: -14.8 kcal/mole
ATP: -7.3 kcal/mol
Which of these molecules could phosphorylate an unknown compound whose free energy of phosphate hydrolysis is -10.3kcal/mol?

Question

Consider the following list of phosphorylated compounds with their free energies of phosphate hydrolysis: 
Glucose-1-phosphate: -5.0 kcal/mol
PEP: -14.8 kcal/mole
ATP: -7.3 kcal/mol
Which of these molecules could phosphorylate an unknown compound whose free energy of phosphate hydrolysis is -10.3kcal/mol?

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

For a molecule to phosphorylate another, its free energy of phosphate hydrolysis must be more negative than that of the compound it is phosphorylating. PEP, with a free energy of -14.8 kcal/mol, is the only molecule listed with a more negative free energy than the unknown compound's -10.3 kcal/mol, making it capable of phosphorylating the unknown compound.

Consider the Following List of Phosphorylated Compounds with Their Free