triphosfater

Triphosfater, often written as triphosphate, refers to a molecule containing three phosphate groups. These groups are linked by high-energy phosphate bonds. The most well-known and biologically significant triphosfate is adenosine triphosphate (ATP). ATP is considered the primary energy currency of the cell. When a cell needs energy to perform work, such as muscle contraction, nerve impulse transmission, or biosynthesis, it breaks one of the high-energy phosphate bonds in ATP, releasing energy and forming adenosine diphosphate (ADP) and an inorganic phosphate ion (Pi). This process is reversible; ADP can be rephosphorylated to ATP using energy derived from processes like cellular respiration or photosynthesis. Other triphosfates exist, such as guanosine triphosphate (GTP), which plays a role in protein synthesis and signal transduction. The ability of triphosfates to store and release energy through the reversible addition and removal of phosphate groups is fundamental to many biological processes. The term can also be used more broadly to refer to any anion or salt of triphosphoric acid.