adenylatespecific

Adenylatespecific is an adjective used in biochemistry and molecular biology to describe enzymes, activities, or binding interactions that show selectivity for adenylate substrates or adenylate groups (the adenosine monophosphate moiety or related adenylate-containing molecules). In practice, an adenylate-specific enzyme preferentially recognizes AMP or AMP-linked substrates over other nucleotides and catalyzes a reaction in which an adenylate group is transferred or modified.

Common contexts include adenylyltransferases and AMP-transferases that form or modify AMP-containing substrates; adenylation domains in nonribosomal peptide synthetases that activate substrates by forming an aminoacyl-AMP intermediate; and enzymes that metabolize adenylates (such as adenylate kinases) rather than free nucleosides. The term is often used qualitatively to distinguish adenylate-specific activity from nucleotide- or ribose-specific or adenosine-specific activities.

Characterization of adenylate specificity typically involves kinetic assays using AMP, ADP, and other nucleotides, with Km and kcat values indicating preference for adenylate substrates. Structural studies may reveal binding pocket features that accommodate the 2' and 3' hydroxyls of ribose and the phosphate groups of AMP.

Limitations: adenylatespecific is not a universally defined technical term; usage may vary, and authors may describe specificity in more precise terms (e.g., AMP-preferring, adenylate-forming, or adenylyltransferase).