Phosphorylation cascades involving a series of protein kinases are useful for cellular signal transduction because they ________.
A) are species specific
B) always lead to the same cellular response
C) amplify the original signal many times
D) counter the harmful effects of phosphatases

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Phosphorylation cascades amplify the original signal many times by activating a series of protein kinases, each of which phosphorylates and activates the next protein kinase in the cascade. This helps to amplify the original signal and produce a much larger response. The other options are not true for phosphorylation cascades: they are not species-specific, they do not always lead to the same cellular response, and they do not counter the harmful effects of phosphatases.

Phosphorylation Cascades Involving a Series of Protein Kinases Are Useful