What is the metabolic process of adding a phosphate group to an organic molecule called?

The process of adding a phosphate group to an organic molecule is known as phosphorylation. This reaction is crucial in biological systems because it often alters the shape and function of the molecule to which the phosphate is added, thereby playing a significant role in regulating metabolic pathways and signaling processes within cells.

Phosphorylation typically involves the transfer of a phosphate group from a high-energy molecule such as ATP (adenosine triphosphate) to a substrate. This process is vital for many cellular activities, including activating or deactivating enzymes, modifying protein function, and influencing various cellular signaling pathways.

Understanding phosphorylation is important for grasping how energy transfers occur in cells and how various metabolic processes are regulated. The other terms listed, such as dephosphorylation, oxidation, and glycolysis, refer to different processes. Dephosphorylation refers to the removal of a phosphate group, oxidation involves electron transfer processes that often release energy, and glycolysis is a specific metabolic pathway that breaks down glucose to produce energy, but does not specifically refer to the addition of phosphate groups to organic molecules.