Do metabolic HAD phosphatases moonlight as protein phosphatases?

Mammalian haloacid dehalogenase (HAD)-type phosphatases have evolved to dephosphorylate a wide range of small metabolites, but can also target macromolecules such as serine/threonine, tyrosine-, and histidine-phosphorylated proteins. To accomplish these tasks, HAD phosphatases are equipped with cap domains that control access to the active site and provide substrate specificity determinants. A number of capped HAD phosphatases impact protein phosphorylation, although structural data are consistent with small metabolite substrates rather than protein substrates. This review discusses the structures, functions and disease implications of the three closely related, capped HAD phosphatases pyridoxal phosphatase (PDXP or chronophin), phosphoglycolate phosphatase (PGP, also termed AUM or glycerol phosphatase) and phospholysine phosphohistidine inorganic pyrophosphate phosphatase (LHPP or HDHD2B). Evidence in support of small metabolite and protein phosphatase activity is discussed in the context of the diversity of their biological functions.