Phosphatase Subfamily STYXL1

Phosphatase Classification: Fold CC1: Superfamily CC1: Family DSP: Subfamily DSP23

DSP23 is a nuclear phosphatase found in metazoan but lost in ecdysozoan.

Evolution

DSP23 is found in metazoan but lost in nematodes and most arthropods (unpublished data from gOrtholog) has a single member in human, DUSP23.

Domain

DSP23 has a single domain, the phosphatase domain. Actually, it is the shortest within DSP family [1].

Function

Human DUSP23 dephosphorylates Ser322 on Glial cells missing homolog 1 (GCM1), which is a transcription factor essential for placental development. The dephosphorylation promotes GCM1 acetylation [2].

DSP23 is also called VHZ for its similarity with VHR phosphatase. Different from MAP kinases phosphatases which negatively regulate MAP kinases such as JNK and p38, DSP23 has been reported to enhance activation of JNK and p38 [3]. Human DSP23 locates at centrosome in MCF-7 cells and is proposed to be involved in cell growth and human primary cancers. [4].