Aspartate kinase

Aspartate kinase (aspartokinase, aspartic kinase) is an enzyme that catalyzes the phosphorylation of the amino acid aspartate. This reaction is the first step in the biosynthesis of three essential amino acids: methionine, lysine, and threonine, known as the "aspartate family". The gene for aspartokinase is present only in microorganisms and plants; it is not present in animals, which must obtain aspartate-family amino acids in their diet.