mTOR is a kinase that phosphorylates other proteins involved in anabolism and catabolism.

“mTOR it was this big protein uh it looked like a cyas that is it's a protein that puts phosphates onto other proteins uh but yet what it did what its targets were were completely unclear and I think as we were talking in the pression Matt pointed out it's incredibly complicated it probably acts on hundreds of other proteins now now in general what are those other proteins they're either proteins that make the cell build things this anabolism side or break it down and on the breaking down side as you and I Peter have discussed I'm sure mtre it's autophagy right the the selfing and destruction of parts of the cell sometimes aged parts of the cell sometimes parts that are damaged for other reasons that seems to be absolutely critical on the on the catabolic uh side”